The achievements of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways have written a remarkable success story of the Modi government. It has made significant progress in the construction of new highways and greenfield expressways across the country. The legal framework for the transport sector and road safety was brought about a major change with the Motor Vehicles Amendment Act in 2019. However, a lot still remains to be done, especially to reduce road accidents and deaths.
India continues to top the world in the list of projects. In the coming years, it will be important to deal with the problems of delays and procrastination of projects. Improving the financial health of the main highway-construction agency, National Highways Authority of India, is also a top priority. This authority has a huge debt of more than Rs 3.4 lakh crore.
A large part of its funds goes into repaying this debt, leaving it with little scope for investing in new projects. The government has several plans to reduce the debt burden in the next few years. One of these is to issue an Infrastructure Investment Trust to raise funds from investors and invest in profitable projects. Apart from this, the ministry also has ambitious plans to implement cutting-edge technology.
These include GPS-based toll collection on highways and setting up electric corridors for trucks. These are aimed at modernising the country’s road infrastructure and improving efficiency, but their practical implementation is yet to happen. The third term of the Modi government will be a crucial period to test the viability of these promises and see if they can be converted into concrete results.
What needs to be done
- goals must be accomplished – The highway sector has seen substantial growth with the Bharatmala Pariyojana, which aims to enhance road infrastructure and its quality. The new government should accelerate construction to meet the target of 34,800 km of national highways approved in the first phase. This may require a review of the financing model.
- have strong security arrangements , For road safety, engineering defects along with maximum speed limits on highways will have to be removed. Apart from this, it is also necessary to ensure that the repair work is done with complete quality. Every year, India ranks highest in terms of road accident deaths. More than 1,50,000 passengers die on the roads of the country every year. Like many other countries, India has also been pursuing the goal of reducing deaths by 50 percent for a long time. Currently, the target is by 2030. Apart from awareness, strict implementation of laws, especially in tier two and three cities, and engineering improvements of road infrastructure are important.
- Make urban speed easier , Apart from building roads and reducing congestion in cities, there is another important concern. Collaboration with state governments is essential to address this effectively. This approach not only improves urban speed but also contributes to better air quality and overall public health.
- protect your land first , Green initiatives like the Green Highways Mission aim to plant 14 crore trees by 2030. Such initiatives should be given priority. Apart from this, vehicle scrappage policy should be strictly implemented to remove old, polluting vehicles from the roads. This will promote environmental well-being.
- E-vehicles and green fuel , Despite being a priority area for the government, implementation of sustainable transport policies, especially in the fight against air pollution, has been slow. Be it electric vehicles and their charging infrastructure or ‘green’ fuels replacing petrol and diesel. The pace of policy interventions now needs to be increased.
Who is responsible for this?
Nitin Gadkari, 64 years BJP, Minister of Road Transport and Highways
> Top in studies Gadkari, who obtained LLB and MCom degrees from Nagpur University, was also active in ABVP and BJYM.
> The friendliest Gadkari has influence in all political parties and is known as the best performing minister in the Modi government. He is a former party president and is considered close to the RSS. He has been the only minister to receive praise from the opposition in Parliament. Having been in charge of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways since 2014, Gadkari often points out every shortcoming in his ministry bluntly.
> Family Man Gadkari is often seen in his hometown and constituency Nagpur, where he can be seen shopping and enjoying ice cream with his family, especially his grandchildren.
Ajay Tamta, 51 years BJP
> Dalit face
The three-time Dalit BJP MP from Almora in Uttarakhand was appointed Minister of State (Textiles) in 2016. He has also previously served as the state’s Horticulture Minister in the B.C. Khanduri government.
Harsh Malhotra, 58 years BJP
> Individuals in the organization
Malhotra, a first-time MP from East Delhi, has previously served as the mayor of the East Delhi Municipal Corporation. A lawyer by education, he is a vocal supporter of organ donation. A dedicated member of the BJP since joining its youth wing in 1984.
– Abhishek G. Dastidar