Work in full swing on ₹1 trillion port connectivity projects: Nitin Gadkari

Nitin Gadkari said multiple port connectivity projects covering 2,700 km will draw ₹1 trillion investment by 2030, while expressway and ropeway projects also progress

Work is in “full swing” at port connectivity projects that will draw investments worth Rs 1 trillion by 2030 in coastal states, said Nitin Gadkari, Minister for Road Transport and Highways, on Friday.

 

Every Rs 100 invested in roads and highways adds around Rs 321 to the country's economy, he said. Better highways help the growth of smaller businesses and they also create jobs.

 

“Infrastructure is the backbone of our economy, and among the major infrastructure sector achievements. We are setting up specialised port connectivity projects over 2,700 km at a cost of Rs 1 trillion," Gadkari said at an event organised by the Indian Chamber of Commerce in New Delhi.

 

“We are setting up 25 greenfield expressways with a length of 10,000 km and at a cost of Rs 5 trillion. Similarly, many projects focusing on religious tourism are under construction which will attract investment of Rs 1 trillion.”

 

He said the Delhi Decongestion Plan will lead to an investment of Rs 1.4 trillion, of which work worth Rs 1 trillion is already on. “We are also working on the Govindghat-Hemkund Sahib ropeway projects with a length of 12.4 km and costing Rs 4,000 crore.”

 

The 12.9-km ropeway project to connect Sonprayag and Kedarnath will reduce the travel time for an 8- to 9-hour trek to 36 minutes. The project for all-weather access to Kedarnath Temple will cost Rs 4,500 crore.

 

He said due to the improved quality of national highways, the average logistics cost in India has come down by 5 per cent. Raw material to factory transport cost has been reduced by 3 per cent, factory to customer cost by 1.4 per cent, and overall freight time by 5.2 per cent. The reduced logistics cost has led to fuel savings of 8-10 per cent for the economy.