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Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari on Sunday announced his decision to make Indian road infrastructure up to the road infrastructure standards of the USA, "before the end of 2024".
The Minister was addressing National Conference for Civil Engineers and Professionals from Allied Industries, being organized by the Association of Consulting Civil Engineers (ACCE) in Mumbai. Exhorting the engineers and industry professionals at the conference, the Minister said India has got huge potential in infrastructure. "In Indian infrastructure, there is huge potential for road construction, river connectivity, solid and liquid waste management, parking plaza, irrigation, bus ports, ropeways and cable car projects," he said. Speaking about various ongoing projects of the Ministry of Road, Transport and Highways, Gadkari said, "We are making 26 Green Express Highways and Logistics parks of Rs 2 lakh crores. At the same time, we have many innovative ideas by which we can develop infrastructure further". Union Transport Minister further said that the future of the Indian infrastructure sector is very bright. "We need to accept good technology, research, innovation and successful practices from across the world and from within India. We should use alternative materials to reduce cost without compromising on quality. Time is the most important aspect in construction, it is the biggest asset," he said. The Minister underlined the role of civil engineers and said it is very important for job creation and for growth. Pitching his idea of using greener alternatives in road construction, Union Transport Minister said, "You should find alternatives to cement and other raw materials. Glass fibre steel can be used in place of steel. If there is competition, the cost will come down and become reasonable." Reiterating his idea of creating wealth from waste, Union Transport Minister said, "In Nagpur, we are recycling sewage water and selling it to the state government for power projects, which is earning us Rs. 300 crore royalty per year from sewage water. In India, there is huge potential of Rs 5 lakh crore in solid and liquid waste management." (ANI)
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