What TV doesn't, print can't; we deliver.
What TV doesn't, print can't; we deliver.
NEW DELHI: Union Minister Nitin Gadkari announced on Friday that the Delhi-Dehradun expressway which is expected to reduce travel time between the two cities to just two hours will be completed within the next three months. Currently, the journey between Delhi to Dehradun takes five to six hours. Addressing a media event Nitin Gadkari also revealed that the construction of the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway is expected to be completed within two months which will cut the current 24-hour travel time between the two major cities to 12 hours.
The Delhi-Dehradun highway project consists of two packages with a ₹10,000 crore project approved for Delhi’s Kalindi Kunj extending to Faridabad. According to Gadkari, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to inaugurate this project within the next 15-20 days.
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Gadkari highlighted the Modi administration’s efforts to improve agricultural income, reduce fossil fuel imports, and lessen air pollution. “The transport ministry is responsible for 40 percent of the air pollution. While a significant part of pollution is due to stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana, road construction and fossil fuels also contribute to the annual problem,” he said.
The Delhi-Dehradun expressway is expected to cost around ₹13,000 crore and will include features like a wildlife corridor to protect regional wildlife as it passes through key cities like Baghpat, Shamli, and Saharanpur. An important feature of this expressway is its elevated wildlife corridor that crosses the Rajaji National Park. This 12-kilometer stretch includes six animal underpasses and two elephant underpasses, designed to ensure the safe passage of wildlife across the road, thereby minimizing human-animal conflicts and preserving the natural habitat. The incorporation of these wildlife crossings highlights the project’s commitment to environmental conservation while enhancing connectivity.
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The minister added that the government is working on 400 projects to convert 200 lakh tonnes of rice straw annually into alternative fuels which aims to eliminate the stubble burning issue within two years. Gadkari’s ministry is also developing 36 green express lanes to lower the nation’s logistical expenses. “India’s logistics cost is 14-16 percent compared to 8 percent in China and 12 percent in the US and European Union. We aim to bring this down to 9 percent in two years,” Gadkari stated.
Addressing the growing number of road accidents in India with 1,78,000 deaths from 5,00,000 incidents annually, Gadkari noted that the country leads the world in traffic fatalities. He attributed this to poor road conditions, lax law enforcement, and a lack of awareness and education. “Despite trying hard over the last 10 years, we have not succeeded in reducing road accidents in the country,” Gadkari admitted.
The minister emphasized that recent initiatives to rectify all black spots on national highways and tweak bidding norms for detailed project reports (DPRs) will help reduce the number of accidents in the country.
