'Progress of infra sector gladdening'

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday reviewed the key infrastructure sectors including roads, railways, airports, ports, digital and coal and said the progress on rural roads and highways was ‘gladdening’.

“Progress in road construction, particularly in rural areas is gladdening. Progress in the highways sector is also showing great improvement,” the prime minister tweeted after chairing a four-hour review meeting.

Modi asked the officials to expedite construction of rural roads and vital links which will connect the remaining unconnected habitations at the earliest.

“The prime minister directed efficient and stringent monitoring of rural roads construction and their quality. For this, he emphasised on use of space technology in addition to the technologies already being used, such as the Meri Sadak App,” an official statement said.

Officials said the prime minister also directed the use of new technologies in road construction and asked Niti Aayog to examine global standards in the application of technology for infrastructure creation, and their feasibility in India.

In aviation sector, he discussed how regional connectivity scheme could impact travellers. “In the highways sector, over 26,000 km of four or six lane national highways have been built in FY17, and the pace is improving,” Modi said in another tweet.

“In Railways, we are exceeding targets in laying of new rail lines. Over 1,500 unmanned level crossings have also been eliminated in 2016-17,” he said.

For the ports sector, the prime minister discussed capacity building, modernisation and improving turnaround time of ships and clearance for cargo.