Indian roads will be similar like America in 2 Years : Nitin Gadkari

NEW DELHI : Union Minister of Road, Transport and Highways Shri Nitin Gadkari asserted on Monday that Indian road infrastructure will be comparable to America’s in another two years, backing his argument that his government has ramped up spending on roads and highways over the past decade.

“The question is not about the facelift, it has already changed. You have just watched the news reel, the main picture is yet to start. The projects in the pipeline are progressing rapidly. In another two years, you will be able to see that Indian road infrastructure will be similar to that of America,” Shri Gadkari told in an interview, on being asked when the face of Indian roads can completely change.

“Some people from America met me and said our infrastructure is better than America,” he supplemented. The Minister said that the good roads laid out by his government have reduced logistics costs in India, adding that it will further improve export competitiveness.

“If we raise our exports, it will improve our agricultural sector, manufacturing, and services, among all other sectors,” he said. The minister said the main concern in India was the high logistics cost–16 per cent, against China’s 8 per cent and the US and European countries’ 12 per cent.

“Our roads were not good, our ports were not good. Traffic congestion raised costs,” he said. With improved roads, Mr Gadkari said the BJP-led government brought down the logistics costs to 9 per cent.

“This reduced cost will make us export competitive,” he reiterated.

Speaking of works in the offing, the minister said 25 greenfield expressways, a 3,000 km port connectivity highway, and Rs 1 lakh crore worth of roads connecting religious tourism circuits are underway.