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Highway equipment development council soon

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BS Reporter
Last Updated : Jul 10 2015 | 1:16 AM IST
The ministry of road transport and highways will set up a Highway Equipment Development Council. The idea is to develop new technologies and equipment to bring down the cost of construction and improving the quality of road infrastructure. Comprising technocrats from the government and private sector, the Council would suggest what technologies could be used and suggest possibilities for joint ventures with foreign partners. This was announced by Nitin Gadkari, the minister, responding to urging from the Indian Construction Equipment Manufacturers Association. The minister said, “For one year, the road and shipping sectors have started looking up and our government has already awarded projects worth Rs 1 lakh crore. Further, we have planned to award road projects worth Rs 5 lakh crore in the road sector and 1 lakh crore in shipping in the next five years. This will generate employment to at least 50 lakh youth.”

Addressing the manufacturers, Gadkari said , “The ministry’s target is to expedite the construction of national highways. So, all steps should be taken to develop new technologies and equipment, so as to bring down the cost of construction and improving the quality of road infrastructure. The setting up a Highway Equipment Development Council is a step in this direction and we would announce the Council in eight to 10 days.”

Amit Gossain, president of ICEMA, said: “We had proposed this to the ministry, so that state-of-the-art technology can be brought to India and the possibility of modification can be explored. The setting up of the Council will not only give a fillip to the construction sector but also the manufacturers, who will come forward to have joint ventures to bring latest technology to India.”

Earlier, Gadkari emphasized upon innovation, entrepreneurship and technology to develop modern infrastructure. He said equipment should be manufactured in India itself, so that the cost of construction can be reduced and the Prime Minister’s vision of ‘Make in India’ could be fulfilled.

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First Published: Jul 10 2015 | 12:40 AM IST

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