Gadkari promises digitalized, eco-friendly roadways

Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways and Shipping Nitin Gadkari has promised the digitalization of the roadways and to make it more eco-friendly for the citizens.

Gadkari made the comments at the launch of a web portal for online approval of movement of over dimensional and overweight cargo by modular hydraulics in the national capital.

"We are happy we have started a good step. And today there is e-toll in Mumbai and New Delhi roadway but we have also started 108 e-toll stations in entire country as aid to people and by March 350 more e-tolls will be operated and no one has to halt at toll stations," said Gadkari.

The proposed move is likely to end long jams at tolls across several highways in the country.

Experts believe it will also help save fuel costs.

The move is in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's key focus areas of 'Make in India' and 'Digital India'.

"It will be our effort to install every toll station, electronic weighing bridge will be installed for the heavy vehicles," said Gadkari.

'Make in India' initiative that PM Modi vowed to make skills training a major plank of the initiative, passing through parliament a programme that will make it easier for employers to hire apprentices for two years.

Gadkari also said that e-governance and digital India was possible only when government sector and systems were made transparent, modernized, time-bound and result oriented by using eco-friendly products such as green fuel.

"We would like to convert the transportation system into electric, bio-fuel so as to reduce pollution and the dream of 'Make in India' will be accomplished," he added.

Prime Minister Modi has vowed to turn around a country where one of the world's most extensive road-building programmes over the past decade ended with at least 600 billion rupees worth of projects stalled and highways half-built.