Target is to achieve constrction of 30 kms of highways per day: Nitin Gadkari

Road Transport, Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari has said that the construction of highways in the country has now gone up to 18 kms per day and the target is to increase it to 30 kms per day by the end of March this year. He was addressing the All India Regional Editors Conference in Jaipur. Gadkari further said that he aims to create a capacity for construction of 100 kms highways per day in the country. He said that the target is to have over 1.5 lakh kms of road as national highways from the present 97,000 kms and this length may also go up to 1.75 lakh kms after discussions with the states. While giving details of new road works undertaken, Gadkari said that most of the work of Delhi-Jaipur highway has been completed and remaining work will also be completed soon. He said work is being undertaken in Uttarakhand for construction of road for easy access to Kailash Mansarovar, for which machines have been procured from Australia. He added that in order to connect Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri and Yamunotri in Uttarakhand, 900 Kms of road will be constructed with Rs 11,700 crore investment, and the work will be completed by the year 2020. The Minister also highlighted certain innovative steps planned in road construction, including use of plastic waste which can be mixed upto 7-8% in tar road construction. He said solid waste will be used while constructing new highway connecting Delhi and Meerut. He emphasised the use of cement and concrete in road construction with bitumen surfacing. Stating that with the increase in length, about 80% traffic will be on national highways, Gadkari said that efforts will be on reducing accidents.