The union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Shri Nitin Gadkari has proposed the establishment of an Innovation Bank for new ideas, research findings and technologies that will focus on ‘Quality’ in infrastructure development. Commenting on the opening of the 222nd Medium Term Summit of the Indian Roads Congress (IRC) he said it was expected that with new programs from the IRC, Innovation should be the focus area for all Engineers. He said the IRC should build a world-class laboratory with the help of IITs and international institutions around the world. Shri Gadkari said infrastructure development plays a key role in fulfilling Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision to make India a $ 5 billion economy again.
The Minister said that over the past eight years, the length of the National Highways has increased by more than 50 per cent from 91,000 km in 2014 to about 1.47 Lakh km. He said our government was committed to expanding the National Road Network to 2 lakh kilometers by 2025. Over the past 8 years, our team has created many world records, he added. Road infrastructure is directly linked to the prosperity of the region. He said road infrastructure connects people, cultures and communities and brings prosperity through social and economic development.
Shri Gadkari said the government was very committed to the development of the North East region. He said NHIDCL plays a key role in infrastructure development in the region. The share of the National Highway in the region stands at 10%. He said to date, the 2344 km highway was built at a cost of Rs. 45,000 million. The Minister said we are ready to use the best and most successful technology on Earth and new building materials. He said the use of Proven Technology and Reducing Construction Costs are the two most important things for us to drive. We need to reduce construction costs while maintaining quality, he added.
Shri Gadkari said there should be minimal carbon footprint and exploitation of limited natural resources during construction and operation. He said development at the expense of environmental degradation was unacceptable to us. He said a sustainable alternative to steel and cement should be found. The Minister said road safety was a priority for Government. We need to integrate practical international procedures with guidelines related to road engineering in what is specified, he added.
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