Amid a raging debate on pollution, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to gift two electric buses for MPs that will help them play their part in preventing choking of the national capital.
"If all goes as per plan, the Prime Minister will donate these two electric buses to Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan on December 21," Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari told PTI.
These lithium-ion-powered buses, running on the same battery that is used to propel satellites made by India's apex space agency ISRO, will ferry Members of Parliament, he said.
Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) scientists, in collaboration with the ministry and other wings, have developed the batteries costing Rs 5 lakh -- about a tenth of the astronomical Rs 55 lakh for imported ones, he said.
This is in line with the Prime Minister's 'Make in India' drive, he said, adding that such vehicles will be commercialised and the patents have been registered.
"We plan to run 15 such buses on Delhi roads as a pilot project initially" and the same would be replicated at other places too, Gadkari said.
Pollution is an issue which concerns the government deeply and the ministry is committed to addressing all such issues related to Delhi within two years, he said.
The idea is to minimise pollution in the entire country, not just Delhi, he stressed.
"We plan to convert 1.5 lakh buses in the country which currently run on diesel to electric," he said, adding that manufacturing of bio-CNG will be encouraged in Nagpur.
He suggested that methane can be extracted from sewage water to produce bio-CNG which can be used for running buses.
Apart from this, farmers will be encouraged to diversify towards production of bio-fuel from sugar and other products, which in turn can reap rich dividends and contribute significantly to the economic development of the country also, he said.
Promotion of bio-fuel can also cut on huge crude import bills to the tune of Rs 8 lakh crore per annum, he said.
On Delhi government's restricting plying of cars, as per odd-even number on alternate days to minimise pollution, Gadkari said the subject fell under the concurrent list and the ministry will help the state government.
"One horse power can carry 4,000 kg load in water but
only 150 kg by road and 500 kg by rail. One litre of fuel can move 105 tonne per km by inland waterways but only 85 tonne per km by rail and 24 tonne per km by road," the Minister said.
He regretted that the waterways had taken a backseat in India, with only 3.5 per cent of trade being done through the mode here as against 47 per cent in China, 40 per cent in Europe, 44 per cent in Japan and Korea and 35 per cent in Bangladesh.
He said of the 106 National Waterways (NWS) proposed to be developed, tender documents for development of eight NWs is under advanced stage of preparation.
For the remaining NWs feasibility studies are being undertaken as an advance action.
"For 46 NWs feasibility and detailed project report is under preparation and is expected by July 30," he said.
Apart from transport mode, NWs will have huge potential for cruise tourism, water sports, fisheries development and feeder routes.
Parliament on March 9 gave nod to a bill to convert 111 rivers across the country into National Waterways.
The bill provides for enacting a central legislation to declare 106 additional inland waterways as the national waterways in addition to five existing national waterways.
Before passage of the bill, responding to contention by some members that huge investment sand development of waterways were his tall claims, the Minister had asserted, "I do not make any announcement in the air... I promise if any of my announcements is not fulfilled, I will apologise in this House....You may even bring a Privilege Motion against me if my promise is not fulfilled."
When Deputy Chairman P J Kurien has asked him to refrain from throwing such a challenge, Gadkari said, "I am 100 per cent ready... We have already signed contracts worth Rs 1.5 lakh crore in the road sector. I am not dependent on budget.
