Facilitate inter-state movement: Nitin Gadkari

Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday urged the states to remove inter-state road blockades to ensure smooth movement of trucks and other vehicles carrying essential commodities.

Interacting with state road transport ministers through video conference, Gadkari asked the ministers to intervene in such matters and ensure smooth resolutions through the local/district administrations. This, he said, needs to be given urgent attention by facilitating the truck/lorry movement, to ease up lives of the public in the light of lockdown announced to curb COVID-19 pandemic.

The Minister also suggested the states to ensure truck drivers and labourers follow health advisories and other guidelines like social distancing, wearing masks, use of sanitisers, both by the driver and cleaners and also at the dhabaas.

The Minister also said his Ministry will start a helpline to resolve the transportation issues.

On highway development front, Gadkari said the states should take steps to expedite land acquisition and utilise funds of about Rs 25,000 crore allocated for the purpose to help regain momentum in road construction through land acquisition.

Gadkari also suggested the states to explore operationalising of App-based two-wheeler taxis especially in rural areas which will assist farming communities with smoother movement. This will also provide new employment opportunities. They may also try to shift public transport to LNG, e-vehicles which will bring considerable savings on fuel bills and will help the environment in being less or zero polluting fuels, he said.

Apart from the Transport & PWD Ministers/Dy CMs, Chief Ministers of Mizoram, Himachal Pradesh and Arunachal Pradesh also attended the conference alongwith Secretary, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, senior officers of the Ministry, NHAI, NHIDCL, etc.