Ready to take up more highway projects if states expedite land acquisition: Gadkari

Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways (Morth), Nitin Gadkari, called upon the states to expedite land acquisition to allow the completion of the highway projects stuck for years and sought the commitment of the state ministers to increase green vehicles.

He was speaking on Thursday after inaugurating 'Manthan', a two-day event organised here by Morth to bring together the ministers and officials from the state and Union governments, experts and entrepreneurs from private sectors.

"We have no ceiling in our annual plans. I request you to send proposals that are complete. Right now, we have a situation where projects are delayed for several years because of delay in the land acquisition process and lack of environmental clearance," he said.

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The minister also stressed the need to bring different departments to end the culture of working in silos.

"We need to exchange information and knowledge to stop spending twice on the same projects. Our Amrut Sarovar scheme is an example. Earlier, different departments spent on constructing roads and lakes. We decided to work with the state and local governments to identify areas along the proposed highway path from where soil can be lifted to build a lake. In turn, we got soil for free to build roads," he said.

Addressing the transport ministers from different states taking part in the conference, he sought land for the Morth's logistics park hubs.

He also appealed to them to work for encouraging vehicles that do not rely on imported fuel. "There is a need to increase vehicles that run on green energy. Karnataka is one of the biggest manufacturers of ethanol. Efforts should be made to utilise more of it in transportation," he added.

Morth Secretary Giridhar Aramane said that the conference will focus on building self-reliance in road infrastructure by 2047. He said, "it can be achieved through technology upgradation, road safety and increasing cooperation between state and central government departments."