Which of the following initiative has not been covered under the Bharatmala Project?

a) Construction of roads along India’s borders and coastal areas
b) Improving connectivity of non-major ports, religious and tourist places
c) Development of newly declared national highways in district headquarters
d) Improving connectivity by inland waterways

Ans- d

Explanation-  Bhartmala is an ambitious roads and highways project of  the NDA government. It involves construction of roads and highways to India’s borders, coastal areas, ports, religious and tourist places as well as over 100 district headquarters. It will involve construction of around 25000 km of road network. Following states will have road construction under this- Gujarat, Rajasthan, JnK, HP, Uk, borders of UP and Bihar near Terai region, Sikkim, Assam, Arunanchal Pradesh and upto Indo-Myanamar border in Manipur and Mizoram. Linking with this, road network from Maharashtra to Bengal along the coastal areas will be built.

Funding of this will be done majorily by govt itself and rest through PPP model. Benefits are huge- it will be a strong strategic component with respect to national security, act as a multiplier effect in our economy, provide backward and forward linkages to the markets, connect remote mountainous areas, trade and tourism will boost and generation of huge employement. Major challenge is just of environment clearences and land acquisition.

Inland waterways construction is under Inland waterways authority of India. It is not covered under Bhartmala. Recently a bill has been passed in Rajya Sabha that will seek to make waterways in 110 rivers.