Union Minister for Surface Transport Nitin Gadkari will visit Siliguri in West Bengal next week to launch the construction of a 13-km, four-lane elevated road along NH-10 at the northern end of the city. “The central government has sanctioned around Rs 9.80 billion for the road project, which will ease traffic congestion, a perennial problem in Siliguri. The tender process is in progress and in all likelihood, Union minister Nitin Gadkari will be here on November 17 to initiate the project,” said Raju Bista, the Darjeeling MP. A stretch of NH-10, which connects Asian Highway II on the right bank of the Balason River in the northwest of Siliguri with Sevoke Military Station in the northeast of the city, will be widened as part of the project. This particular stretch passes through Darjeeling More, the principal entry point of Siliguri. The project also envisages the construction of bridges and flyovers along the 13 km stretch. Bista said the expansion of the Bagdogra airport, for which around Rs 18 billion has been sanctioned, would also commence in another three-four months. See also: PMC releases Rs 193 Crore Tender For Asphalting City RoadsRoute between Chennai and Tirupati to be widened