Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari said in Bhopal on Saturday (October 19, 2024) that India is going to have better road infrastructure than the United States, and that the Central government was determined to achieve this.
Mr. Gadkari was speaking after inaugurating a two-day seminar on ‘Latest emerging trends and technologies in road and bridge construction’ in Bhopal.
He said that good road connectivity, waterways and railways can help the country’s economic growth.
Mr. Gadkari quoted the late former American President John F. Kennedy as saying, “American roads are not good because America is rich, but America is rich because American roads are good.”
“And I see that dream with the support from all of you that the Indian road infrastructure will be better than America in the coming time,” Mr. Gadkari said.
Mr. Gadkari also asked the municipal bodies of Madhya Pradesh to segregate waste properly and use it for road construction.
“My request is that if aggregate [construction material] is not available for road construction, then cities should segregate garbage properly and use it for road construction. So far we have used 80 lakh tonnes of garbage for roads. This has reduced the height of the Gazipur landfill site in Delhi by seven meters,” the Minister said.
Mr. Gadkari also flagged various lapses and lack of coordination on part of consultants and engineers who prepare detailed project reports for infrastructure projects, and said that many of them did not visit the site to see if there were any temples, mosques or towers in the way.
The Union Minister also expressed concern over the number of road accidents in the country and the deaths caused by them.
“1.78 lakh people have died [in road accidents in the country]. They did not die in riots, fights or [in the] COVID [pandemic]. This is not good for us and the humanity,” he said, asking the attendee experts to be sensitive about such issues.
“On a road [in your area] if an accident takes place, take it very seriously and with sensitiveness. Enquire [about] the incident, study the blackspot, and improve it immediately. Put a red signal where it is needed, put the signages where required,” he said.
Mr. Gadkari also advocated for green highways to combat pollution.
“Planting on the road is very important. Make sure to build a green highway… To reduce pollution, it is our responsibility to make every road green and plant trees that reduce carbon dioxide. This will also help us protect the environment,” he said.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, Public Works Department Minister Rakesh Singh, and Madhya Pradesh Chief Secretary Anurag Jain were also present at the seminar.
Published – October 19, 2024 10:27 pm IST
