Speed Post News Network
New Delhi : Union Road Transport & Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari on July 9, 2021, said that use of steel and cement should be reduced in road construction without comprising on quality through innovation and research.
Addressing 16th Annual Conference on “Road Development in India”, Gadkari said that CNG, LNG, and ethanol should be used for the road equipment machinery. The Minister emphasised on import substitution, cost effective, pollution free, and indigenous methods, and development of alternative fuel.
Gadkari said India with about 63 lakh km of road network is the second largest road network in the world. He said road infrastructure plays a critical role in the growth of the economy as 70 percent of the goods and nearly 90 percent of passenger traffic uses roads to commute. He said the Prime Minister has set a vision for India to become a 5 trillion dollar economy in next five years.
Gadkari said the government is investing 1.4 trillion dollars i.e. Rs 111 lakh crore in infrastructure development through national infrastructure pipeline further this year, The government has increased year on year infrastructure capex by 34 percent to Rs. 5.54 lakh crore. He said that increased investment in infrastructure would help create employment during covid pandemic. The minister said his aim was to construct 60,000 km world class national highway at the rate of 40 km per day, according to a PIB release.