India has built around 92,000 KM National Highways in last Nine and half years
It will touch 95,000 KM by end of next month March 2024- Anurag Jain, Secretary MoRTH
MoRTH to focus on high speed (access-controlled) corridors keeping in mind next 50 years
New Delhi February 29, 2024 Union Ministry of Road and Transport Highways (MoRTH) has in the last Nine and a Half year built around 92,000 Km of National Highways and by the end of next month March 2024 it will touch 95,000 Km.
“Earlier the Ministry of road had project approach for construction of National Highways followed by corridor approach and now with help of integrated planning and synchronised implementation for multimodal and last mile connectivity under the PM Gati Shakti platform which helped breaking the silos we are focusing on High Speed corridors with vision of next 30 years “ said Mr Anurag Jain, Secretary, Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) whil;e inaugurating a Two-day conference and exhibition “Revolutionizing road infra with modern equipment, technologies, sustainable material and policy guidelines” organised by the International Road Federation (IRF)
“Use of the latest technologies including GIS, Toll collection, Artificial Intelligence and with everyday coordination with civil aviation , railways and various other concerned departments has helped us revolutionise planning and developing vision based transport models for the future. The high speed corridors are being built for the next fifty years keeping in mind prospective congestion and increasing population needs .This will help avoid construction of bye passes and redoing of roads again and again” said Mr Jain.
“These high speed corridors are also being constructed including value engineering at a DPR level with focus on use of sustainable technologies, raw materials and safety. The ministry has identified most of black spots on the National Highways in the country and most of them will be covered up by the end of March 2025 .Remaining by the end of March 2026.” Mr Jain added.
“The role of infrastructure planners, designers and contractors is changing fast and they need to be able to embrace new technologies as they emerge including digital tools and Intelligent Transport systems (ITS) . Countries around the world and lending institutions will need to have the proper processes and regulatory frameworks in place and infrastructure providers will need to ensure that they have the skills, knowledge and systems in place to build the associated sustainable infrastructure.” said Mr Anouar Benazzous, President International Road Federation (IRF) while speaking on the occasion.
“We must invest in developing the skills of people at all levels. Finally, traditional funding and financing instruments have not been designed to address the high-risk and uncertain investments required to decarbonise the transport sector. This means creative financial approaches are needed, with different instruments and sources. : Mr Benazzous said,
“The participating experts are expected to present papers on promoting environment-friendly technologies and materials in road construction.The need for efficient and sustainable road infrastructure has become more crucial than ever in the present day. The demand for well-designed and well-maintained roads has increased tremendously. To meet the rapidly growing population & expanding urbanization, it is imperative to revolutionize road infrastructure development by incorporating modern equipment, cutting-edge technologies, sustainable materials, and comprehensive policy guidelines.” Said Mr K K Kapila, President Emeritus, International Road Federation (IRF) .
“The integration of cutting-edge technologies is essential in revolutionizing road infrastructure. Technologies like Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Building Information Modelling, and AI can provide planning, implementation and management of real-time data and insights, enabling better planning, design, and maintenance of roads. The sustainable alternatives like recycled materials, bio-based binders, and permeable pavements, can not only contribute to a greener future but also provide cost-effective solutions in the long run.” Said Mr Lt Gen Harpal Singh (retd) President , IRF-India chapter .
Two day conference to discuss latest technologies and designs of road construction across the world. The aim is to discuss the technologies that are best and sustainable along with safety of vehicles on roads will also be discussed.
About 300 delegates and 20 road infrastructure related construction companies will be participating and showcasing Some of this equipment including motor graders, road rollers, asphalt mixing plant, forklift trucks, crawler excavators, cranes, wheel loaders, etc.
