Remove blockades of trucks at inter-state borders and clear pending projects of highway construction, says Nitin Gadkari
The nationwide lockdown to battle the dreadful Coronavirus disease, imposed by the government to safeguard the health of the citizens, is also offering a challenge for the movement of essential goods into the different parts of the country. However, the Government has now instructed the state government as well as the Union Territories to take all the necessary actions and clear the long lines of trucks carrying essential goods stuck at the inter-state borders. This has come from union minister of road, transport and highways, Nitin Gadkari, who in an interaction with the ministers of transport and PWD of states, has requested their intervention in this subject, with adequate assistance from local and district administrations if needed.
Union Minister of Road, Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari
In the whole process of restricting the movement of almost everyone in the country to avoid the spread of COVID-19, there are reports that trucks carrying essentials goods in the form of medical supplies, vegetables and other commodities have been halted at the state borders itself. This is also affecting the supply of these commodities to the city. Gadkari's intervention in this confusion should definitely help solve the blockades of these trucks, travelling across the country.
Further, Nitin Gadkari has also asked the UT and State Ministers to accelerate the land acquisition process by utilising the funds of Rs 25,000 crore to clear the pending projects and also boost the economy that has now come to an almost standstill. This decision was taken after a government presentation highlighting the 819 projects that have been delayed, amounting to 30,301km costing a Rs 3,06,250 crore. The delayed projects are part of the Rs 5,89,648 crore plan to build 49,238km of highways. It was reported that the delay has been caused due to environmental clearance and hold ups in land acquisition. The Government wants to fasten the development of construction of highways by upto 3 times the current pace in the next couple of years.
