Traveling via road to become faster than flights, Gadkari indicates
What's the story
Now traveling between major cities via roadways will get faster, assures Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari.
From the inauguration of the Delhi-Jaipur expressway on February 12 to the construction of the green express highways and the Mumbai-Delhi expressway, commuters have a lot to look forward to, Gadkari said at the Budget AajTak Conclave on Monday.
Read on to know more.
US standards
Indian roads will become equivalent to US standards by 2024
Gadkari emphasized that India will have roads equivalent to the US standards by the end of 2024.
He added that the Center has increased the amount awarded for road projects to Rs. 24,000 crore.
The minister said, "Rs. 12,000 crore was awarded for road projects, I increased it to Rs. 24,000 crore. There is no lack of money in the country."
Shorter travel time
Travel time via road is going to get shorter soon
The minister claimed that commuters will be able to cover the distance between Delhi and Dehradun in two hours, Delhi and Chandigarh in two-and-a-half hours, and Delhi and Amritsar in four hours.
He also claimed that one can cover Delhi to Katra in six hours, Delhi to Srinagar in eight hours, Bengaluru to Mysuru in an hour, and Nagpur to Pune in five hours.
Faster than flight
Will traveling via roads become faster than taking flights?
On being asked whether traveling via road will become faster than taking flights and trains, Gadkari said, "Before the opening of the Mumbai-Pune highway, there were eight flights operated by Jet Airways on this route. Now, there are none."
By the end of this year, most flights on the Delhi-Jaipur, Delhi-Dehradun, and Delhi to Chandigarh routes will become obsolete, he added.
Infrastructure
Investing in basic infrastructure key to ensuring country's development
The Road, Transport, and Highways Minister said investing in basic infrastructure such as water, power, transport, and communication is key to alleviating poverty and ensuring the country's development.
"If basic infrastructure is developed, it will attract industries, which in turn will increase capital investment. More capital investment means more employment opportunities, which will help reduce poverty in the country," said Gadkari.
Budget 2023
Rs. 2.7 lakh crore allocated to Road Ministry this year
In Budget 2023, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman allocated Rs. 2.7 lakh crore to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, of which about Rs. 1.62 lakh crore has been allocated to the National Highways Authority of India.
The ministry which is constructing expressways under PM Gati Shakti's master plan witnessed an increase of Rs. 68,000 crore in allocation in the Union Budget last year.