Union Surface Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari said on Friday that the Centre will provide Rs 2 lakh crore for road construction and Rs 1,000 crore for construction of Railway Over Bridge (ROB) to the UP Government.
In lucknow to inaugurate the lucknow Conference on roads, Gadkari said, “The bureaucracy is least interested in cost cutting but I as Union Transport Minister asked officials to adopt the most cost effective technology like RCC (reinforced cement construction) which are used in highways and expressways as they last for at least three generations.’’
The Union Minister who also holds Water Resources portfolio, said that there were six lakh villages in the country and if all were linked with roads then it would add Rs 1.10 lakh crore to the national GDP. “So far, 1.70 lakh villages have been linked with the roads,” he said.
Gadkari said that the Centre had laid special emphasis on construction of roads without adverse impact on environment. “There should be minimum felling of trees. If we cut one tree than as compensatory forestation ten trees will be planted.
The National Highway Authority will also be responsible for raring of trees as the government aim is development along with environment protection.’’
The Union Minister also announced that the ambitious work for linking Ken-Betwa rivers in Bundelkhand region would commence in the next three months.
Talking to media persons on the sidelines of first ever lucknow conference on Road technology, Gadkari said that linking of Ken-Betwa rivers would enhance irrigational facilities in the parched Bundelkhand region and would cost the Government Rs 25,000 crores.