AMN /

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi interacting with the Secretaries to the Government of India, in New Delhi on December 31, 2015.

On the eve of new Prime Minister Narendra Modi has asked all political parties to resolve that they will allow Parliament function and work for the benefit of poor.

Mr Modi said that the people of country have elected the MPs to discuss, debate and deliberate in Parliament.

Criticizing the Congress for disrupting Parliament proceedings, Mr Modi said those who ruled India for 60 years have no right to disrupt its functioning. The Prime Minister said, it is unfortunate that Parliament where laws are made, it is not being allowed to run especially by those who ruled for 50-60 years.

He was addressing a rally after unveiling a plaque to mark the laying of the foundation stone of the Delhi-Meerut Expressway. Speaking on the decision for do away with the interview for the junior level posts, Mr Modi said, government has abolished interview process for class III and class IV employees and now appointments will happen strictly on basis of merit. He added that central government will implementing it from tomorrow as a New Year Gift. He also urged the of state Chief Ministers to follow the lead.

Earlier, Prime Minister today laid the foundation stone of a 14 lane Delhi-Meerut Expressway project, aimed at easing traffic congestion in the national capital. Speaking on the occasion the Prime Minister said road connectivity is essential for development of the country. He said when one city is connected with other cities over a radius of 100 kms by road, it takes development to new levels,

Mr Moid said former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee initiated projects to bring about changes in rural life of India by increasing connectivity between villages. He said construction of Delhi-Meerut Expressway, will pave the way for a pollution-free future. He said the people in villages know that if they want to be connected with development, they have to connect villages with good roads.

This 14 lanes national highway project will cost Rs 7566 crore. The project is proposed under four packages with the three packages Nizamuddin Bridge to UP Border, UP Border to Dasna and Dasna to Hapur. The fourth package will be a new alignment of Delhi Meerut Expressway from Dasna to Meerut and six laning of connector.

The 87 km project besides 9 km connector will have 6 lane expressway and 4+4 lane highway, service roads, cycle tracks, flyovers, elevated sections, major and minor bridges, railway over bridges, vehicular underpasses and pedestrian underpasses. The total land required for three packages would be around 348 hectares of which over 343 hectare has already been acquired.

Speaking before the Prime Minister, Transport and Highway Minister Nitin Gadkari said there is urgent need for an expressway between Delhi and Meerut because NH58 the only link between the two places. He said, travel time between Delhi and Meerut will be reduced to 45 minutes after construction of the express way. He said National Highways Authority of India is also working on another highway project which will reduce travel time between Delhi and Dehradun to about three hours, He said new road will be constructed for Char Dhan Yatra with an estimated cost Rs 11,000 crore.