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Marginal hike in plan allocation for surface transport

The Planning Commission has agreed to increase the Ninth Plan allocation for the surface transport ministry from Rs 78 billion to Rs 80 billion, according to Union Surface Transport Minister M Thambi Durai.

In his speech read out in absentia at the 153rd council meeting of the Indian Road Congress at Bangalore today, he indicated the ministry's resolve to provide both budgetary and extra-budgetary support to road development besides allowing private investment in small and medium projects like bypasses and bridges.

He also advocated setting up of traffic control centres in large cities to conduct safety audit of accident-prone stretches and spots to reduce accidents.

Speaking on the occasion, IRC president Major C R Ramesh called for massive research and development in building modern highways on high traffic density corridors. He urged the government to extend adequate financial support for R and D work. Central and state allocations to the sector were meagre, he complained.

UNI