Road Transport and Highways Ministry's consultative committee meets

The 15th meeting of the consultative committee of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways was held here on Thursday, and it was felt that the tremendous development of national highways has thrown open various challenges.

Chairing the meeting on the topic 'roadworthiness of vehicles' and 'development and maintenance of wayside rest areas along national highways', Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Oscar Fernandes said the rising trend in long distance haulage necessitates availability of adequate resting places along the routes.

He further informed that his ministry has decided to develop research and test reaches from budgetary resources which may serve the purpose of rest lay bys for the road users and providing basic facilities.

"This has been decided as a confidence building measure and with a view to bring in new emerging materials and technologies to conserve scarce natural resources and bring in cost effectiveness. These would be maintained through private participation," he added.

Presentations on roadworthiness of vehicles and development and maintenance of wayside rest areas along national highways' were made before committee members.

The meeting was attended by Sardar Sukhdev Singh Libra, Mohinder Singh Kaypee, K .Narayan Rao, Mangani Lal Mandal, Kaushalendra Kumar, Shyamal Chakraborty, Thawar Chand Gehlot and D P Tripathi.

The members emphasised that implementation of schemes and laws needs to be monitored and ensured to bear fruit.

Fernandes thanked the Members of Parliament for their valuable inputs and assured to accommodate their suggestions as far as possible.

Senior officers and engineers from the ministry and NHAI also attended the meeting.