 "Minister of State for External Affairs VK Singh. Photo: PTI")
Union Minister General (retd) VK Singh on Friday said NHAI was giving full importance to newer technologies to build better quality roads in lesser time and cost.
The Union minister of state for road transport and highways also stressed on the importance of consensus between the Centre and the states to ensure development.
Speaking to reporters here on the sidelines of a meeting organised by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), Singh said, "The NHAI is giving full importance to new technologies, so that they can be incorporated, good quality road are made quickly at less cost, and it becomes convenient for people to run their vehicles on it."
To question on connectivity to border areas, Singh said the Centre's Bharatmala Pariyojana project addressed this concern. "Under Bharatmala Pariyojana, our endeavour is that connectivity with border areas, with economic corridors and with other countries, is increased," he said.
When asked about issues in purchasing land, the minister said, "There is a problem of land almost everywhere. You will also face problems if you go to buy land. How can we quickly do (resolve) it."
Co-operation and co-ordination between the Centre and the states will ensure development, he pointed out.
Singh also said good roads can be built only if environmental concerns are addressed.
According to NHAI chairperson Alka Upadhyaya, 30 projects stretching 2,100 kilometres with a capital investment of over Rs 1 lakh crore have been executed since 2014. " Most of these roads are either four-lane or six-lane highways. About 50 such projects are underway at this point of time, which stretch 2,200 kilometres and cost Rs 73,000 crore."
Upadhyaya said one of the targets under the Amrit Mahotsav plan was to plant a record number of saplings along the length of the national highways. She said the NHAI planned to plant 10 lakh saplings in the coming monsoon season in Uttar Pradesh alone.
A memorandum was signed between NHAI and Uttar Pradesh State Rural Livelihood Mission for planting saplings on NHAI land.
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