AGARTALA: As part of Centre's efforts to strengthen infrastructure development in the northeast, Union minister Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday announced the construction of two new national highways to connect Tripura with Assam.

"The state government has long been demanding for construction of two new national highways - one from Sabroom to Kukital in Assam and the other is from Khowai sub-division to Agartala," Union road transport, highways and shipping minister Nitin Gadkari said.

"These highways would be constructed under 'Bharatmala' and works would be started before December this year. The total expenditure would be Rs 801.79 crore," he said after laying foundation of the double laning of a 55-km long road from here to Udaipur in Gomati district.

A 30-km long road would also be constructed from Jolaibari in South Tripura district to Bangladesh border and double laning of the Assam-Agartala national highway from Churaibari to Sabroom would soon be completed.

He said, recently an agreement was signed in Thimpu in Bhutan for road connectivity between India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan.

"Now we are trying for a road connectivity to Thailand through Myanmar," he said.

Gadkari added that inland waterways would be developed in 101 rivers including in the Brahmaputra, the Ganga and the Mahanadi.

Earlier in Guwahati, the Union minister told a conference that the central government wanted to increase the capacity of local contractors, engineers and other stakeholders for their participation in building of highways and infrastructure in the north eastern region.

The involvement of local stakeholders in construction of highways and infrastructure would result in new employment avenues, he said.

