Nov. 5: The Centre today approved four-lane expansion of two stretches of National Highway 34 that would reduce travel time from Calcutta to north Bengal.

The expansion is part of the third phase of the National Highways Development Project. The plans which were cleared by the cabinet committee on infrastructure include the expansion of the 103km Farakka-Raiganj section of NH34 that will cost Rs 1,078.84 crore.

The other stretch that will be expanded to four lanes would be the Behrampore-Farakka section that runs 102km. This will cost Rs 998.79 crore. Both stretches are two-lane now. Officials said the expansion between Behrampore and Farakka would reduce travel time between Calcutta and north Bengal by 25 per cent. “It will take about seven hours to reach Raiganj from Barasat,” an official said.

On October 29, the Centre had approved the four-lane expansion of the 84km Barasat-Krishnagar section. The NH34 is the only road from the Haldia and Calcutta ports and industrial areas of south Bengal to the Northeast, Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan.