New Delhi [India], March 22 (ANI): Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday said that India’s road infrastructure will be like that of the United States by 2024. Replying to the debate on the demands for grants related to his ministry in the Lok Sabha, Gadkari said that roads were connected with the prosperity of the country and good road infrastructure helps bring down the cost of logistics which was vital for economic development.
He referred to former US President John F Kennedy who had said that American roads are not good because America is rich, but America is rich because American roads are good. “To make India prosperous, I will ensure that before December 2024, India’s road infrastructure will be like that of America,” Gadkari said.
He said the government is keen to bring the latest technology in road construction and had replaced Detailed Project Report (DPR) with Project Management Consultancy (PMC) system. “Prioritizing road safety, we have done away with the outdated system of DPR. Incorporating the world’s best practices, we have replaced it with PMC system,” he said.
The minister cited examples of his ministry had drastically brought down the cost of some projects due to the innovative use of technology. “It is our endeavor to reduce the cost of construction and improve quality of construction by incorporating world-class technology. We have brought down the construction cost of Majauli Bridge built over the Brahmaputra from Rs 6000 crore to Rs 680 crore.
With great pride I would like to tell this august House that we have created four world records in road construction,” he said. Expressing concern over a large number of lives lost in the country in road accidents, the minister said the Centre is tightening norms besides working on road safety.
He told members that if there are two accidents at a particular spot it would be declared a black spot and the district administrations would be told to take remedial measures “We have made a minimum of six airbags mandatory in all vehicles carrying up to eight passengers, irrespective of the model, variant and cost of vehicle. It will ensure the safety of the poor consumers,” the minister said.
He said research on batteries and emerging technologies will reduce the cost of electric automobiles bringing them almost at par with petrol-run vehicles in the next two years. Gadkari said the cost of operating electric vehicles is less than that of those using petrol and diesel as fuel and the government is also encouraging other green alternatives.
The minister said a route was being carved out from Pithoragarh in Uttarakhand for Mansarovar for the convenience of pilgrims which will cut on their travel time taken in going through routes from Nepal and China. The road ministry will equip highways with wayside amenities. “We will equip highways with 650 wayside amenities. They would include dedicated AC rooms for lactating mothers to feed their child, washrooms, trauma centre, helipad for helicopter ambulance among others,” he said.
Gadkari said 28 highways will have emergency landing facilities for planes and highway corridors would be constructed throughout the country. The minister said that the government will meet the members’ demand for road overbridges. He said contractors will be employed to transplant trees that are cut down for the construction of new roads as part of green initiative. Gadkari said from Chennai to Bengaluru can be reached in two hours in near future as also from Delhi to Jaipur.
Noting that connectivity is very important to boost tourism in the country, he said the government has initiated various projects to connect all religious places with quality roads to provide a thrust to religious tourism. “Taking cognizance of the demand for Jain Circuit, after due consultations from all the stakeholders, we will develop Jain Circuit in our country,” he said. (ANI)
