Page 23 - Nitin Gadkari

Most people in India not serious about following road safety rules: Gadkari

Most people in India are not serious about following road safety rules, and unless their mindset and attitude change, it would be difficult to reduce number of road accidents in the country, Union minister Nitin Gadkari said on Monday. The road, transport and highway minister pointed out that a whopping 5 lakh road accidents take place in the country, in which 1.5 lakh people die every year. "Jyadatar log road safety ko lekar serious nahi hai. Jab tak logo ka dimag aur mindset nahi badlega, tab tak road accidents kam nahi ho payega (Most people in India are not serious about following road safety rules, and unless their mindset and attitude change, it would be difficult to reduce number of road accidents in the country)," he said. Gadkari also emphasised on the need of following land discipline by drivers. He announced that his ministry will soon start conducting digital examination for those applying for driver's licence and later a practical driving test will be conducted. The .

PPP for smart cities crucial to become $5 trillion economy: Nitin Gadkari

Public-private partnerships (PPP) in developing smart cities and villages are crucial to achieve India's vision of becoming a USD 5 trillion economy, Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said on Monday. Addressing the '8th Smart Cities India Expo', Gadkari also stressed the need of developing smart cities and villages through the PPP model. "(Development of ) Smart Cities is a success story in India. We have got a huge potential here. "To achieve the Prime Minister's vision of making India a USD 5 trillion economy, it is imperative to develop smart cities and villages for which public-private partnership is key," he added. Also speaking at the event, Minister of Economy of the Slovak Republic Karel Hirman said the future of urban development is in integrating technology and data analytics into city planning and management. In Slovakia, our cities are already implementing smart solutions in public transport, energy, wastewater management and public safety, he ad

India's highways infra to match US by 2024, work underway, says Gadkari

India's highways infrastructure will match that of the US by 2024 for which work in time bound 'mission mode' is on including construction of green expressways and rail over bridges, Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said. He said cabinet nod to 'Bharatmala 2' is likely soon and once obtained it will meet the requirements of a robust infrastructure in the country. "I am confident that India's highways will be on par with that of the US by 2024. Work in a time bound mission mode is on to build a robust infrastructure including a network of green expressways across the length and breadth of India," Gadkari told PTI in an interview. The Road Transport and Highways Minister said in this year railway over bridges are being constructed at a cost of Rs 16,000 crore which will be increased to Rs 50,000 crore in five years. On the Kailash Mansarovar highway project via Pithoragarh, Gadkari said "Ninety three per cent work on Kailash Mansarovar project has been ...

India can be No 1 automobile manufacturer by using lithium reserve: Gadkari

Union road, transport and highway minister Nitin Gadkari on Friday said that if India can use recently discovered reserve of lithium in Jammu and Kashmir, it will become number one automobile manufacturing country in the world. Addressing an event organised by industry body CII, Gadkari said there is a need to encourage public transport, and electric buses are the future. "Every year, we import 1,200 tonnes of lithium. "Now, in Jammu and Kashmir, we got lithium. (If) we can use this lithium ion, we will be the number one automobile manufacturing country in the world," he said. India has beaten Japan to become the third largest vehicle market in 2022 after China and the USA. According to Gadkari, presently India's automobile industry is worth Rs 7.5 lakh crore, and the sector's contribution to the overall GST revenue is maximum. The estimated 5.9-million tonne reserve of lithium, a crucial mineral for the manufacturing of electric vehicles and solar panels, had been discovered in

Govt to introduce GPS-based toll system in 6 months to replace toll plazas

The government will introduce new technologies including GPS-based toll collection systems in the next 6 months to replace existing highway toll plazas in the country, Union minister Nitin Gadkari said on Friday. The move is aimed at reducing traffic congestion and charging motorists for the exact distance travelled on the highways, Gadkari said. Addressing an event organised by industry body CII, Gadkari further said state- owned NHAI's toll revenue is currently Rs 40,000 crore and it is going to soar to Rs 1.40 lakh crore 2-3 years. "The government is looking at new technologies including GPS-based toll systems to replace toll plazas in the country...We will bring new technology in six months," he said. The ministry of road transport and highways is conducting a pilot project of automatic number plate recognition system (automatic number plate reader cameras) to enable automated toll collection without stopping the vehicles. During 2018-19, the average waiting time for vehicles

Nitin Gadkari promises Rs 2 trillion road infra in Jharkhand by 2024

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Thursday promised to bolster infrastructure in Jharkhand and asserted that Rs 2 lakh crore highway network will be rolled out in the state by 2024. The Road Transport and Highways minister said Jharkhand will be in the league of developed states in terms of infrastructure and a network of highways will be completed here including stretches under Bharatmala and economic corridors. "The projects what you are seeing at present is just a trailer. I promise I will deliver Rs 2 lakh crore road infrastructure projects in Jharkhand," Gadkari said addressing a rally in state capital Ranchi. The Union minister said Jharkhand has huge resources including coal and iron and a better infrastructure in state could propel country's growth. The road network will boost industry here and create huge employment, Gadkari said, adding that the target is to reduce logistic cost which was much higher in India at 16 per cent as compared to nations like China and the US which

More than 278,000 EVs registered in India in Jan-March 2023: Gadkari

Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari on Thursday said more than 2.78 lakh electric vehicles have been registered in the country in 2023 calendar year so far. Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh are in the process of migrating to Vahan portal and hence their data on EV registration is partially included while Telangana and Lakshadweep data is not available on the portal, Gadkari said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha. According to the data on the portal, the registration of electric vehicles (EVs) in India rose to 10,20,679 in 2022 from 3,29,808 in 2021. Replying to a separate question, Gadkari said National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has planted 344.27 lakh tress under Green Highways Policy during the period 2016-17 to 2022-23 (up to February 2023). Responding to another question, he said NHAI envisions development of wayside amenities (WSAs) at every 30-40 kilometre across brownfield national highways and greenfield expressways. Till date, 156 WSAs ha

Gadkari to inaugurate, lay foundation stone for 31 projects in Jharkhand

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari will inaugurate and lay foundation stones for 31 projects worth Rs 13,296 crore in Jharkhand on Thursday, an official said. Gadkari will arrive in Ranchi around 12.30 pm and head to Jamshedpur, he said. The Union minister is also scheduled to address a BJP rally at Gopal Maidan here in the afternoon. Of the 31 projects, 21 pertain to state capital Ranchi, entailing an estimated investment of Rs 9,453 crore, and nine to Jamshedpur at a cost of Rs 3,378 crore, the official said. Gadkari will dedicate to the nation a 44-km stretch between Jamshedpur and Mahulta on National Highway-33, constructed at a cost of Rs 465 crore. "This stretch will provide Delhi-Kolkata and Mumbai-Kolkata connectivity via Jamshedpur, significantly reducing travel time, National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) Chief General Manager S K Mishra told PTI. The project will also drive commercial development in the Jharkhand, West Bengal and Odisha, he stated. Apart from these, ..

Gadkari to lay foundation stone for 31 projects in Jharkhand on March 23

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari will inaugurate and lay foundation stones for 31 projects worth Rs 13,296 crore in Jharkhand on Thursday, including stretches of Delhi-Kolkata and Mumbai-Kolkata corridors and Bharatmala packages, under which ring road and bypasses are developed, an official said. Of these, 21 pertain to state capital Ranchi, entailing an estimated investment of Rs 9,453 crore, and nine to Jamshedpur at a cost of Rs 3,378 crore. Gadkari will dedicate to the nation a 44-km stretch between Jamshedpur and Mahulta on NH-33, constructed at a cost of Rs 465 crore. "This stretch will provide Delhi-Kolkata and Mumbai-Kolkata connectivity via Jamshedpur, significantly reducing travel time, National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) Chief General Manager SK Mishra told PTI. The project will also drive commercial development in the Jharkhand, West Bengal and Odisha, he stated. Apart from these, foundation stone for a four-lane double-decker elevated corridor will be laid on NH-3

Our ultimate goal is social, economic equality, says Nitin Gadkari at C20

Social and economic equality is the ultimate goal of the government and Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' (world is one family) embodies a powerful message from India's G20 Presidency, signalling the commitment to pursue fair and equitable growth for all in the world, said Union minister Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday. He was speaking at the concluding session of the Civil20 India 2023 Inception meeting in Nagpur. C20 is one of the official Engagement Groups of the G20 that provides a platform for Civil Society Organisations around the world to voice the people's aspirations to the world leaders of G20. Gadkari said value-based education and a value-based family system are India's biggest strengths. The minister said that reaching out to the last man and making his life meaningful is the most important challenge of the government. Social and economic equality is the ultimate target for all of us, he said. The Bharatiya Janata Party leader called Antyodaya', the welfare of the people at the bottom

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari gets Rs 10 crore extortion calls: Police

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has been targeted for the second time in two months, with calls from alleged mafiosi demanding extortion money, police said here on Tuesday

Delhiites to get another ring road in major relief in congested areas

The third ring road or Urban Extension Road Project (UER-II), which is a Rs 7,716 crore project, will be implemented and inaugurated by this September

Corporates hopeful for green hydrogen; may pump Rs 16 trillion in 10 years

Industry experts have said that it will take a combination of technological advancements and regulatory support to boost the cost-effectiveness and viability of green hydrogen in the country

UER-II being developed as part of Delhi decongestion plan: Nitin Gadkari

Road Transport and Highways Minister, Nitin Gadkari said the Urban Extension Road Project (UER-II), which is being implemented at a cost of Rs 7,716 cr, will be completed and inaugurated this year

NHAI starts using steel slag in road construction on trial basis

State-owned National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) on Wednesday said it has started using steel slag in road construction on a trial basis in line with the government's 'Waste to Wealth' mission. NHAI in a statement said this initiative will help to address the challenge of shortage of material used in the development of National Highways and could replace natural aggregates, such as sand, gravel, or crushed stone, with the waste material from the steel industry. According to the statement, the authority permitted Central Road Research Institute (CRRI) to construct one km long trial patch in the Raigarh district for PQC of the Panvel Indapur section of NH 66 near Mumbai, where 100 per cent natural aggregates were replaced by steel slag derived aggregates. The results from the trial have been encouraging, it said. The statement noted that the use of such material in road construction will make construction more economical and promote the circular economy and resource efficienc

725 road projects facing delays due to rains in some states: Gadkari

As many as 725 road projects of the total 1,801 ongoing projects are running behind the schedule across the country as of February 2023 due to protracted monsoon in many states and above-average rainfall in some states, Union minister Nitin Gadkari said on Wednesday. The Road Transport and Highways Minister in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha said additional cost is not incurred in all delayed projects as in Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) projects, as escalation cost is absorbed by the Concessionaire. For other projects, if the delay is attributable to the Project Authority, price escalation is paid as per contract conditions, which may or may not result in additional cost, depending upon the final value of price escalation determined on the actual completion of the project and final settlement of bills, he added. Replying to a separate question, Gadkari said the National Highways Authority of India has planted 344.27 lakh trees from 2016 to February 2023 under the green highways ..

NHAI likely to discontinue fixed toll tax at Delhi-Gurugram Expressway

Currently, for a single journey, a car is charged Rs 80 while a bus or truck pays Rs 235 at the Kherki Dhala tolling booth

Nitin Gadkari flags poor quality of DPRs of road projects as major problem

Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari said on Friday that the bad quality of Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) leads to a host of problems including cost escalation in road projects, and he was in the "mood to take a decision to allow international firms to make them." He was speaking at the International Conference on Asian Scenario on Infrastructural Development here. There is a need to reduce the cost of production in road projects, he said. Expressing disappointment over the quality of DPRs in road construction, the minister said he has "never seen a perfect DPR" in his life. The construction industry should work on improving the DPR quality, he said. "I am in the mood to take a decision to allow international companies to make DPRs and giving them priority, though I am not of that opinion, but because of not so good DPRs, lot of problems are being faced. Everywhere there is cost escalation," Gadkari said. He also said that agriculture by-products and biomass should be .

Delhi-Dehradun Expressway to be complete by December end: Nitin Gadkari

The construction work of the Delhi-Dehradun Expressway will be complete by the end of December this year, reducing the journey time between the two cities to two hours, Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari said. "Work on the Delhi-Dehradun Expressway project will be over by December end and from January 1 next year people will be travelling from Dehradun to Delhi in just two hours," Gadkari said during a visit to Parmarth Niketan Ashram in Rishikesh on Sunday. A journey from Dehradun to Delhi at present takes around six hours. The union minister who visited the Ashram to take part in a Ganga Aarti along with family said the all-weather road project will make year-round Char Dham Yatra possible. "Char Dham Yatra goes on for six months at present. But, once the all-weather road project is complete, devotees can visit the Himalayan temples throughout the year," he said. Work on the ropeway project in Kedarnath whose foundation stone was laid by Prime Minister Narendr

'World's first' bamboo crash barrier installed on Maha highway: Gadkari

Union minister Nitin Gadkari on Saturday said a 200-meter-long bamboo crash barrier has been installed on a highway connecting Chandrapur and Yavatmal districts in Maharashtra, which he termed as the "world's first" such exercise. Calling it a "remarkable achievement" for the country and its bamboo sector, he said this crash barrier offers a perfect alternative to steel and addresses environmental concerns. In a tweet, Gadkari said, "An extraordinary accomplishment towards achieving #AatmanirbharBharat has been made with the development of the world's first 200-meter-long Bamboo Crash Barrier, which has been installed on the Vani-Warora Highway." The Minister of Road Transport and Highways said this bamboo crash barrier has been christened as "Bahu Balli". "It underwent rigorous testing at various government-run institutions, such as the National Automotive Test Tracks (NATRAX) in Pithampur, Indore, and was rated as Class 1 during the Fire Rating Test conducted at the Central ...