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Neiphiu Rio seen here with Piyush Goyal on Wednesday in Delhi. The central government has assured the chief minister more roads for the state.[/caption]
Dimapur, June 13 (EMN): The Centre has given Nagaland virtually a blank cheque with the former reportedly assuring the state's Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio more new roads besides seeking making a list of 'important roads' in the hilly state.
The chief minister met with the Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari at New Delhi on Wednesday. He was accompanied by deputy chief minister Y Patton, and a number of their Cabinet colleagues besides state officers, a press release from the IPR at Nagaland House informed.
According to the update, Rio appraised Gadkari about the state's roads and their condition, besides ongoing road projects in the state. It was during the meeting that the chief minister appealed to the Union minister to include more roads in the National Highways (NH) component besides 'top priority roads' in all parts of the state.
Gadkari was stated in the press release as having assured Rio that the former would 'declare more NH roads in the state.' The minister asked the state to expedite ongoing projects and 'also to submit the list of important roads in the state,' the press release stated. The minister will be visiting the state soon to see the ongoing road project in the state, it added.
Rio's day's engagement included meeting with Union Minster for Railways Piyush Goyal too during which they discussed the ongoing railway project in Nagaland. He requested the Union minister for more 'stoppage time' of the Rajdhani Express and other railways passing through the Dimapur station in the interest of passengers from Nagaland and neighbouring states, who depend on said station.
The update mentioned that Goyal congratulated Neiphiu Rio and the newly elected Lok Sabha member Tokheho Yepthomi. "The Union minister assured that he will fully support and look into all the matters raised by the chief minister. Further the Union Railway minister says that the dreams of railways connectivity in all parts of the northeast region will soon see the light of the day," the press release added.
