NEW DELHI: Government today approved Rs 1,660 crore worth of highway projects in eight states including Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Assam."The standing finance committee (SFC) today cleared eight projects worth Rs 1,659.96 crore for 454 km length for eight states," a road transport and highways ministry official said.Of the 8 projects 5 will be undertaken on the engineering, procurement and construction ( EPC ) mode.The other states covered by the projects cleared are in Andhra Pradesh, Tripura Sikkim, Meghalaya and Nagaland.The project for Uttar Pradesh pertains to upgradation of 37 km stretch of Allahabad-Mirzapur section of NH 76E at a cost of Rs 219 crore, while Rs 323 crore Maharashtra project involves upgradation of Malewada to Chimur stretch on NH-353E.The Andhra Pradesh project covers widening of Machilipatnam to Avanigadda section on NH- 214A under National Highways Development Project (NHDP).In Tripura the Rs 172 crore project pertains widening to two lane with paved shoulder on Churaibari Agartala section of NH-44 while Sikkim will see construction of 1000 metre length viaduct at Rangpo on NH-31A.There will be two-laning of Nongstoin - Shillong Section of NH-44 and Nongstoin - Rongjeng - Tura road while in Nagaland the project aims at four-laning of Dimapur to Kohima Section of NH-39.The Assam package contains shifting of Electrical line and operational cost for compensation trees for construction of Dhola - Sadiya Ghats Bridge.