Owing to difficulties in the water-ways, a road connectivity between the two places – Satapada and Janhikuda in Puri district – had been a long-standing demand of the people. The dream is finally becoming a reality. Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Thursday announced construction of a road connecting Satapada and Janhikuda in Krushnaprasad Block of Brahmagiri constituency in Puri.
Due to lack of connectivity, people of Brahmagiri and nearby areas were using water vessels for their daily commute. Gadkari mentioned how BJP leaders Sambit Patra and Upasana Mohapatra drew his attention towards this issue when both of them met him in Delhi recently. After learning about the difficulties, Gadkari announced the project to ease the travel hassles. The announcement has brought much relief for the residents of Brahmagiri who have expressed their happiness.
Upasana Mohapatra, who happens to be the niece of Brahmagiri MLA Lalitendu Mohapatra and is very active in the constituency making frequent tours with senior BJP leader Sambit Patra to oversee developmental works in the constituency, took to social media to share how Nitin Gadkari assured to provide the road connectivity at the earliest and that is finally being materialized.
The Minister was speaking at a function to celebrate the golden jubilee of Vasai Janata Cooperative Bank in Vasai town here.
Gadkari said that ever since the highway was constructed, it was beset with many accidents and he himself termed it as a ‘death trap’, admitting that he also experienced the difficulties while going there for today’s event.
“The 121-km stretch in the state will be concretised and widened at a cost of Rs 600 crore and work will begin next month. The upcoming Delhi-Mumbai Corridor will also be linked with Vasai so the people here cna get direct access to Mumbai,” declared Gadkari, amid applause.
The work will include three underpasses and 10 foot over bridges which would considerably ease traffic woes in the Vasai-Virar region, he informed Bahujan Vikas Aghadi President Hitendra Thakur, Kshitij Thakur, Rajesh Patil, all legislators from different constituencies in the Palghar district.
Besides the concretisation project, the highway stretch between Dahisar and Talasari will be widened from existing eight to 12 lanes, a 40-metre ring road will be built to connect four major towns within the Vasai Virar Municipal Corporation (VVMC) limits, and roads of five cities en route linking the highway shall also be made of concrete.
Thakur and others pointed out that many pending road works in the VVMC came under central jurisdiction and it was only after constant follow-up with New Delhi that the projects were finally cleared by Gadkari.
Speaking on the occasion, Gadkari said that this innovative vehicle is based on the Innova Hycross and is engineered to adhere to India's stricter emission standards, marking it as the first-ever BS6 (Stage II) Electrified Flex Fuel Vehicle prototype globally.
According to Gadkari, the forthcoming stages for this prototype encompass meticulous refinement, homologation, and certification processes.
“Ethanol being an indigenous, eco-friendly, and renewable fuel holds promising prospects for India. The emphasis of the Modi Government on ethanol aligns with objectives of attaining energy self-sufficiency, doubling farmers' income, transitioning them to Urjadata while continuing to support them as Annadata, and positively impacting the environment,” said Gadkari.
๐๐จ๐ซ๐ฅ๐'๐ฌ ๐๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ญ๐จ๐ญ๐ฒ๐ฉ๐ ๐จ๐ ๐๐-๐ (๐๐ญ๐๐ ๐ ๐๐) ‘๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ญ๐ซ๐ข๐๐ข๐๐ ๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ฑ ๐ ๐ฎ๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐ก๐ข๐๐ฅ๐’ ๐๐๐ฏ๐๐ฅ๐จ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐ฒ ๐๐จ๐ฒ๐จ๐ญ๐ ๐๐ข๐ซ๐ฅ๐จ๐ฌ๐ค๐๐ซ ๐๐จ๐ญ๐จ๐ซ. #ElectrifiedFlexFuelVehicle #FlexFuelVehicle #UrjadataKisan@Toyota_India pic.twitter.com/8hoYkbrANx
— Nitin Gadkari (@nitin_gadkari) August 29, 2023
Talking to media persons Tejashwi Yadav said, “We had a very positive conversation with the minister and had a discussion about the projects which were on hold since last 11 to 12 years in Bihar. We also discussed the road projects of Bihar.”
“There is no expressway in Bihar. So we have demanded for an expressway for which Gadkari has responded positively,” Deputy Chief Minister said.
He also shared agenda of his meeting with the minister on X.
“We have demanded for construction of Buxar to Bhagalpur Expressway, a bridge parallel to JP Setu on the river Ganges. Elevated corridor between Patna to Koilwar and Anisabad to Didarganj. Also long pending projects like Patna-Gaya, Hajipur-Chhapra, Maheshkhunt-Saharsa-Purnia National Highway were also dicussed. We also discussed the early completion of Muzaffarpur bypass,” the Deputy Chief Minister wrote on X.
Notably, the Bihar state plans to extend Uttar Pradesh's 341km long Purvanchal Expressway to Bhagalpur, located near the eastern border of Bihar, via the state capital Patna.
The 350-kilometre Buxar-Bhagalpur expressway plan will connect Buxar in west Bihar bordering Uttar Pradesh to Bhagalpur in east Bihar.
Accompanying state Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu and BJP leader Jairam Thakur, Gadkari assessed the aftermath of the disaster that ravaged Kullu district.
The leaders visited flood-hit areas including Bada Bhuiyan, Deodhar, Shirad, Klath, and Aloo Ground Manali and interacted with people affected by the calamity, besides seeking insights into their concerns during the challenging time.
Later, the Chief Minister told the media here that it was for the first time in the history of Himachal that a disaster of such high magnitude struck the state. “As the resources of the state are limited, the Union government must extend help to Himachal generously at the earliest to aid relief and restoration efforts,” the chief minister said.
Sukhu said the torrential rains from July 7 to 11 caused extensive damage to roads and bridges at numerous places in the state, besides public and individual property.
“Union Minister Nitin Gadkari quickly accepted my invitation to visit Himachal Pradesh for which I am grateful to him,” said Sukhu. The Chief Minister also appealed to Leader of Opposition Jairam Thakur, who was accompanying them during the visit, to extend his wholehearted support in the hour of crisis and stand jointly to address the needs of the people.
Talking to the media, Gadkari assured that the Central government would extend all possible help to the affected people. He said people have suffered immensely and the situation was even worse than they would have imagined otherwise.
“There has been unprecedented damage to the roads, bridges and private property due to flash floods, landslides and cloudbursts triggered by heavy rains.”
He said Rs 400 crore would be released by the Union government under Central Road and Infrastructure Fund (CRIF) so that the repair and restoration works can be undertaken on a war footing.
“The NHAI (National Highway Authority of India) will also bear the cost of repairing link roads up to one km along the national highways in apple belts,” he added.
The Union minister said the huge portions of national highways and other roads have been swept by the furious flow of the river and a technical team has been constituted to study probable causes and take measures to prevent such occurrences in the future. The team will visit flood-hit areas in three to four days to assess and take stock of the situation.
He said due to the accumulation of muck in the river bed, the river changed its course.Adaptive measures will be taken to construct a concrete wall or channelize river beds wherever required.
Gadkari also sought cooperation of the state government in this direction. He said the Union ministry will bear whatever money is to be incurred on the repair and restoration of roads under the NHAI.
He also stated that falling stones and boulders from the mountains was rather common in hilly regions, always posing threat to the commuters and to address the issue a comprehensive study would be conducted and thereafter recommendations would be shared with the state government.
Gadkari said 68 tunnels are being constructed in Himachal Pradesh at a cost of Rs 12,500 crore. The repair work of the Kiratpur-Manali four-lane will also be completed in the coming two to three months and will be inaugurated soon. A sum of Rs 250 crore has been sanctioned for Bijli Mahadev Ropeway, the construction of which will commence soon, he said.
He said approval has been given to Shahpur-Sihunta road to be built with an outlay of Rs 52 crore under CRIF and Rangas-Mehre via Bagchal road would also be constructed incurring an expenditure Rs 49 crore.
However, the probe agency is yet to make an official statement.
On May 9, a team of NIA visited Gadkari's Nagpur office.
According to sources, one Jayesh Pujari, a murder convict, was behind the threat calls. He was subsequently arrested from Belgavi jail in Karnataka. The Nagpur Police lodged a case under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) against him.
Sensing the gravity of the matter, the NIA is also probing it, they added.
What is the case:
A call was received on the landline number at the official residence of Gadkari in Nagpur around two weeks back. A staff member who answered the call was threatened by the caller who wanted to speak to Gadkari and threaten him.
This was not the first time Gadkari's office in Nagpur received a threat call.
Earlier in January and March, the minister's Nagpur-based office, had received similar calls.
Threat call in Delhi :
Gadkari's Delhi office too had received a similar call following which the Delhi Police were informed.
The police told IANS that they have initiated a probe. Without divulging more information, police said that the case is under investigation.
He was speaking at the CII Annual Session 2023 here. Under the theme 'Future Frontiers, Competitiveness, Technology, Sustainability, Internationalisation', Gadkari highlighted the significant progress made in these areas and the positive impact it has had on job creation.
Gadkari acknowledged the rapid improvement in the tourism sector and cited the feedback received from the Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, who reported a notable increase in tourist numbers compared to the previous year.
Recognising the importance of efficient connectivity, Gadkari revealed plans for the construction of the Dehradun-Delhi Highway, which will significantly reduce travel time between the two destinations, as well as the ongoing projects related to the Char-Dham Yatra and the development of Masoori's tunnel.
To further bolster the tourism industry, the government has embraced 260 proposals, amounting to Rs 1,30,000 crore, focused on ropeway cable cars and funicular railways. These initiatives will be implemented through public-private investments, fostering sustainable and accessible transportation options for tourists across the country.
Emphasizing the government's commitment to improving logistics and reducing costs, Gadkari highlighted the Economic Corridor and Green Express Highways projects. He expressed his belief that these initiatives would decrease logistics costs from 14 to 16 per cent to a remarkable 9 per cent, leading to increased export opportunities and a subsequent rise in employment.
Gadkari also emphasized the importance of private sector collaboration in the development of 670 wayside amenities across the country, including charging stations, gas stations, and restaurants built to international standards.
Looking toward the future, the Minister emphasized the potential of heliports and drones in futuristic technology. He noted the development of drones capable of carrying up to 200 kg, with future models anticipated to transport four passengers simultaneously. Additionally, he highlighted plans to construct 16 tunnels in Jammu and the proposed Delhi-Katra Highway, which will allow Delhi residents to reach Katra within six hours.
In line with the government's push for sustainable and eco-friendly alternatives, Gadkari disclosed plans to invest around Rs 16 lakh crore in the ethanol vehicle market and explore the use of methanol as a substitute for diesel. The successful testing of 25 buses powered by methanol in Bengaluru was mentioned, with a projected production of 30 lakh tons of methanol in collaboration with farmers in the future.
Furthermore, Gadkari underscored the potential of hydrogen-powered vehicles, aiming to transform India from an energy importer to an energy exporter.
Gadkari also addressed the burgeoning electric vehicle sector, revealing that 400 startups have emerged to manufacture electric buses, along with the introduction of e-cars, e-rickshaws, and e-buses. He acknowledged the need to improve the conditions of state transport systems and combat diesel thefts, expressing interest in implementing the London bus model in India and ultimately aiming for a fleet of two lakh buses.
Gadkari further announced plans for the Sky Bus service, connecting Dhaula Kuan in Delhi to Gurugram in Haryana, which will alleviate traffic congestion for the commuters.
Concluding his address, Gadkari reiterated the government's commitment to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of making India a five trillion-dollar economy. He highlighted the creation of 4.5 crore jobs through the promotion of tourism, the development of top-quality roads, and the provision of opportunities for startups. Additionally, he shared the government's innovative approach to utilizing 25 lakh tons of garbage.
“We are currently upgrading the Chandikhole-Bhadrak section of Kolkata-Chennai Golden Quadrilateral to a six lane highway with paved shoulders. This road spans the states of West Bengal, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu and serves as the primary arterial road linking the coastal areas of Odisha,” tweeted Gadkari.
We are currently upgrading ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ๐ถ๐ธ๐ต๐ผ๐น๐ฒ-๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ธ ๐๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐น๐ธ๐ฎ๐๐ฎ-๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ป๐ป๐ฎ๐ถ ๐๐ผ๐น๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ป ๐ค๐๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ฟ๐ถ๐น๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐น ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฑ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ผ ๐ฎ ๐๐ถ๐ -๐น๐ฎ๐ป๐ฒ ๐ต๐ถ๐ด๐ต๐๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ถ๐๐ต ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ต๐ผ๐๐น๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐. This road spans… pic.twitter.com/OKrJ1pGM16
— Nitin Gadkari (@nitin_gadkari) March 31, 2023
It accommodates interstate traffic carrying various agricultural, manufactured, and industrial products, as well as local mining traffic. The highway also provides connectivity to popular tourist destinations such as Maa Biraja Temple, Sveta Baraha, Bhadrakali Temple, Aradi Akhandalamani Temple, Chandabali river port, Dhamnagar and the Dhamra Port of Bhadrak District,” the minister further tweeted.
According to police, the raid was conducted on Thursday evening. The calls were made from Hindalaga prison to the office of Gadkari in Nagpur city on March 21. The office has received three calls of threatening and extortion, the sources said.
The caller has been identified as Jayesh Poojari, an inmate of Hindalga prison. He had demanded Rs 10 crore extortion money from the minister. Gadkari will have to bear the consequences if he fails to pay up, the miscreant added. The calls were made to Gadkari's office in the month of January also.
The team from Maharashtra has seized the mobile possessed by Jayesh Poojari illegally in the prison. Security has been tightened at the office and residence of Gadkari at Nagpur.
According to police sources, two sim cards and as many mobiles were found in the prison. Nagpur police will shortly take Jayesh Poojari into custody for investigation. The accused Jayesh Poojari is convicted of life imprisonment. He was initially awarded a death sentence in connection with dacoity and murder case. Later, the punishment was reduced to life imprisonment.
“I would like to draw your kind attention to the fact that Rehabilitation and Up-gradation of Cuttack-Angul-Sambalpur Section of NH-55 from 0.400 km to 265.000 km to 4-lane carriageway is being carried out by NHAI since 2017,” the CM wrote.
“It is a matter of great concern that even after more than 5 years, up-gradation work is yet to be completed. The above section of NH-55 serves as lifeline to millions of people of the Western Odisha. Haphazard construction activities and miserable plight of the road causes frequent accidents leading to loss of human lives,” he added.
Patnaik further pointed out that as many as 399 accidents have taken place during the last two years causing 196 fatalities. He added that there was public agitation and discontentment among the people for inordinate delay in completion of the road work.
"It is worth mentioning that the concern of State Government on this count has also been communicated to the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways earlier,” the letter read
“Progress of the instant project is being reviewed with the Regional Authorities of NHAI at regular intervals but no satisfactory outcome is visible. I take this opportunity to seek your intervention for early completion of the project which will go a long way in redressing the pending demand of the people of the State,” the letter read further.
At least three calls were received by Gadkari's private office in the city - between 11.30 a.m. - 12.30 p.m. - and the caller purportedly uttered the name of absconding mafia don Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar.
The unknown caller reportedly made extortion demands and issued death threats targeting Gadkari - who is currently in Nagpur for the Makar Sankranti festival -- before disconnecting abruptly.
The Minister's office staff immediately informed the local police and senior officers, along with their teams, have reached there to investigate.
Further details like the caller's identity and their antecedents are awaited.
The MP pointed out how important the New Jagannath Sadak has been for Western and Southern Odisha as well as the States of Western India for connection with Puri and other coastal areas of Odisha.
Sharing the news on Twitter, the MP wrote, “Many residents of Khurda region of my Bhubaneswar Constituency had requested for converting New Jagannath Sadak: Rameswar- Nirakarpur-Chandanpur into National Highway. This route is important for Western & Southern Odisha. Wrote to Minister @nitin_gadkari today. Will meet & pursue.”
Many residents of Khurda region of my Bhubaneswar Constituency had requested for converting New Jagannath Sadak:Rameswar- Nirakarpur-Chandanpur into National Highway.This route is important for Western & Southern Odisha.
— Aparajita Sarangi, Member of Parliament (@AprajitaSarangi) November 27, 2022
Wrote to Minister @nitin_gadkari today.Will meet & pursue. pic.twitter.com/ytAwFCrd0Q
The letter read, “Dear Sir, most respectfully, I am to bring to your kind knowledge that Rameswar- Nirakarpur-Chandanpur New Jagannath Sadak qualifies for being declared as National Highway.”
“In 2016, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways had reportedly approved the 40kms, stretch as National Highway in principle, but the stretch has yet to get the NH status formally.”
“I am to submit here that the New Jagannath Sadak is an important route for Western and Southern Odisha as well as for the States of Western India for connection with Puri and other coastal areas of Odisha.”
“Therefore, I will be grateful if the request of thousands of people of the area for declaration of New Jagannath Sadak as National Highway be allowed by your esteemed office.”
The New Jagannath Sadak is the road to Jagannath Dham in Puri with a total of 96km covering three major districts of Puri, Khurda and Nayagarh.
Inaugurated by Janaki Ballabh Patnaik, former CM, Odisha in 1996, the road is made from concrete because the road passes through the maximum flood areas. Although, Nitin Gadkari had declared it as a National Highway, but the stretch is yet to get NH tag formally.
"The six airbags in passenger vehicles should be made mandatory once 85 per cent of the people start wearing rear seat belts. Once this figure crosses 85 per cent pan India, the government should go ahead making this provision of six airbags. Otherwise, it will become counterproductive and we will loose more lives," said K.K. Kapila, President Emeritus, International Road Federation (IRF).
"A clarification to this effect may kindly be issued by the Ministry to give the right indication to the people that if you want to save your lives, please wear seat belts. Unless people start wearing rear seat belts, the provision of six airbags will become counterproductive leading to more fatal accident. In a crash, seat belts are primary restraint devices whereas airbags are supplemental support. Rather, several global studies have shown that if an airbag is deployed without having the seat belt on, it can cause severe injuries and even death," said Kapila.
According to MoRTH data, in 70 per cent of the 2-wheeler accident deaths, victims were found not wearing helmets; and in 87 per cent of the car accident deaths, victims were found not wearing seat belts. Sadly, 96 per cent of car passengers do not wear seat belts on the backseat.
"It is high time that we move away from the populist ideology of mandating regulations, safety devices like six airbags, but bite the bitter pill of enforcement and penalties that may affect masses. Of course, harsh measures will face resistance and give discomfort initially, but eventually they will become a habit," Kapila added.
"The IRF will prepare a one to one and a half minute film to highlight this point for screening on Cinema Halls and Television Network," he added.
The NHEV miniature model of the charging station is the first ever such model in the industry which has been conceptualised as a comprehensive wayside amenities plaza that can reimagine and replace the existing traditional petrol pumps and wayside amenities on the highways. This comes as a successor to the initiative of EODB which strives at upgrading 5000 km of national highways to E-highways through its pilot project called the National Highway for EV.
The pilot project is currently conducting its concluding phase of technical and commercial trials with buses and long-range electric SUV on the Delhi-Jaipur stretch from September 9. This would add a 278 km stretch to the previously conducted 210 km TECH-trial run between Delhi-Agra in 2021 to accomplish technical trials of a total 500 km across four states -- UP, Delhi, Haryana and Rajasthan -- in its pilot phase.
During the inaugural address, Nitin Gadkari said "Since the last 3-4 years I have been talking about electric vehicles and have been answering many questions like what would happen if we break down with an electric vehicle? However it didn't happen and with gradual increase in confidence the technology questions got answered. Now there are waiting lists for electric cars and scooters and I can say that electric is the fuel of the future. Currently electric double decker AC bus costs are coming to Rs. 60 per km, non AC Rs. 39 per kilometre and for normal electric AC bus Rs. 41 per km and diesel bus is costing Rs. 115 per km. If you can bring business class comfort in an electric bus with trolley on economical ticket cost to passengers, it will make public transportation more competent for users".
"The pilot has already covered a 10% stretch between Agra-Delhi-Jaipur in two phases, out of its total 5000 km highways that India aims to upgrade as E-highways in the next 2 years. The NHEV team is slating its plan to install pre-fabricated modules of these station's electrical and structural infra, soon after commissioning its pilot phase. So that new stations in expansion phase can be speedily installed within 90 days from their allocations." said National Program Director, Ease of Doing Business Abhijeet Sinha, also Project Director NHEV at EODB Services.
The revealed miniature has brought out the operational and financial comparison between a 'Charging Station' and 'Petrol Pumps', showing an imperative impetus on Public Private Partnership to build nationwide charging infrastructure. It showcased all the key indicators like ease in setting-up and minimal licensing, bankable and fundable world-class 'Relay Service' fleet models and the highest possible utilisation of infra and assets within a minimal breakeven period of 40 months.
BJP chief J P Nadda on Wednesday reconstituted the Parliamentary Board and the Central Election Committee (CEC). Senior leaders Shahnawaz Hussain and Jual Oram were dropped from the CEC.
Nitin Gadkari, who is a former party president, is said to be close to the top brass of the RSS. He is also the sitting MP from Nagpur.
Eleven members of the reconstituted Parliamentary Board are party president Nadda, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Ministers Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah and Sarbananda Sonowal, former Karnataka chief minister BS Yediyurappa, OBC Morcha national president K Laxman, Iqbal Singh Lalpura, Sudha Yadav, Satyanarayan Jatia and national general secretary (organisation) B L Santhosh.
The 15-member Central Election Committee includes the 11 members of the Parliamentary Board and Union Minister Bhupender Yadav, deputy chief minister of Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis, Om Mathur and Vanathi Srinivasan.
Replying to a question in the Lok Sabha, he said the CEOs and Managing Directors of EV manufacturers have been issued show-cause notices.
Further action would be taken based on the responses received from the EV manufacturers, the minister said.
Gadkari was asked about steps taken to ensure extensive testing of EVs by manufacturers and if the government fined EV manufacturers for fire incidents.
He said that the ministry had constituted a committee of experts to suggest safety standards for batteries, battery components, and related systems.
Based on the information of fire incidents available, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has issued a show-cause notice to the CEOs and MDs of the concerned two wheeler electric scooter manufacturers, to explain the reasons as to why the relevant sections of the Motor Vehicles Act should not be invoked against them.
Earlier, Minister of State of Heavy Industries, Krishan Pal Gurjar, informed the Parliament that three manufacturers recalled a total of 6,656 electric two-wheelers in April this year.
Gurjar said Okinawa recalled 3,215 units of vehicles on April 16, Pure EV recalled 2,000 units of vehicles on April 21, and Ola Electric recalled 1,441 units of vehicles on April 23.
"Testing of components for EVs is done as per relevant standards, as specified in Rule 126 of the Central Motor Vehicles Rule, 1989 to ensure compliance," he said.
The government-formed committee to formulate new guidelines for electric vehicles (EVs) is set to submit its report soon.
It had formed a committee to bring in standard operating procedure (SOP) on battery certification and quality control in order to help EV makers develop efficient and safe products for the consumers.
The committee has experts from the Indian Institute of Science-Bangalore, the Naval Science and Technological Laboratory in Andhra Pradesh, and the Indian Institute of Technology-Madras, among others.
The fresh standards will focus on traceability of foreign suppliers of cells and battery components.
The preliminary findings from another government-constituted probe committee on EV fires also identified issues with battery cells or design in nearly all of the electric two-wheeler fire incidents in the country.
The experts found defects in battery cells as well as battery design in nearly all EV fires.
The three projects include the six-lane Sohna elevated highway constructed on National Highway 248 of about 22 km in length, built from Gurugram to Sohna in Gurugram district. An amount of Rs 2,009 crore has been spent on the construction of this project.
Apart from this, a four-lane road was constructed from Rewari to Ateli Mandi on NH-11. An amount of Rs 1,193 crore has been spent on the construction of this 30.39 km long route.
Similarly, a 4-lane project (NH-709) extension and NH-148B of about 25 km length from Kherdi Mor to Haluwas village via Bhiwani bypass was also inaugurated, for which an amount of about Rs 247 crore has been spent.
Gadkari was the chief guest in this event.
Along with the Haryana chief minister, several dignitaries including Gurugram MP and Union Minister of State Rao Inderjit Singh were also present at the event which was organised at Tau Devi Lal Stadium, here in Sector-38.
Gadkari during the event said that the inauguration of these projects will facilitate the commuters, and also save fuel and time.
"The six-lane Sohna elevated highway will help commuters to reach Sohna in just 15 to 20 minutes which will also touch the upcoming Delhi-Mumbai Expressway. This section would also provide connectivity to Delhi and Gurgaon through the Delhi-Mumbai expressway," Gadkari said.
Meanwhile, Haryana Chief Minister Khattra on Tuesday conducted 14 services related to Shastra license online and inaugurated 6 weapons training centres from the premises of Recruit Training Centre, Bhondsi.
Approving the Draft GSR Notification to introduce Bharat NCAP (New Car Assessment Programme) for awarding Star Ratings based on their performance in crash tests, Gadkari said Bharat-NCAP will serve as a consumer-centric platform allowing customers to opt for safer cars based on their ratings.
It will also promote healthy competition among original equipment manufacturers (OEM) in India to manufacture safer vehicles.
The Minister said Star Rating of Indian cars based on crash tests is extremely crucial not only to ensure structural and passenger safety in cars, but to also increase the export-worthiness of Indian automobiles.
He said the testing protocol of Bharat NCAP shall be aligned with Global Crash Test Protocols factoring in the existing Indian regulations, allowing OEMs to get their vehicles tested at India's own in-house testing facilities.
Gadkari said Bharat NCAP will prove to be a critical instrument in making our automobile industry Aatmanirbhar with the mission of making India the number one automobile hub in the world.
Addressing an event here, Gadkari said days are not very far when the prices of all electric vehicles will be less than the cost of petrol vehicles in the country.
"Agar Tesla India me electric car manufacture karega toh unka bhi fayda hoga (If Tesla manufactures its electric vehicles in India then they will also get benefits)," he said.
Earlier on April 26, Gadkari had said, if Tesla is ready to manufacture its EVs in India then there is 'no problem', but the company must not import cars from China.
"If Elon Musk (Tesla CEO) is ready to manufacture in India then there is no problem ... Come to India, start manufacturing, India is a large market, they can export from India," he had said at an interactive session at the Raisina Dialogue.
Last year, the heavy industries ministry had also asked Tesla to first start manufacturing its iconic electric vehicles in India before any tax concessions can be considered.
At present, cars imported as Completely Built Units (CBUs) attract customs duty ranging from 60-100 per cent, depending on engine size and Cost, Insurance and Freight (CIF) value less or above USD 40,000.
Last year, in a letter to the road ministry, the US firm had stated that the effective import tariff of 110 per cent on vehicles with customs value above USD 40,000 is "prohibitive" to zero-emission vehicles.
It had requested the government to standardise the tariff on electric cars to 40 per cent, irrespective of the customs value, and withdraw the social welfare surcharge of 10 per cent on electric cars.
It had stated that these changes would boost the development of the Indian EV ecosystem and the company will make significant direct investments in sales, service, and charging infrastructure; and significantly increase procurement from India for its global operations.
The company had argued that these proposals would not have any negative impact on the Indian automotive market as no Indian original equipment manufacturer currently produces a car (EV or Internal Combustion Engine) with ex-factory price above USD 40,000 (around Rs 30.6 lakh), and only 1-2 per cent of cars sold in India (EV or ICE) have ex-factory/customs value above USD 40,000.
Demonstrating the car powered by 'Green Hydrogen', Gadkari emphasised the need to spread awareness about hydrogen, Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle technology and its benefits to support hydrogen-based society for India.
While speaking to reporters outside Parliament house, the Road Transport Minister said the fuel prices are continuously rising in the international market and its the common man who has to ultimately bear the brunt. "Currently, we import Rs 8 lakh crore of crude oil. If we want to become a self-reliant country then we need to produce hydrogen based fuel in India," he said.
The Minister assured that Green Hydrogen will be manufactured in India. "Green Hydrogen refuelling stations will be established generating sustainable employment opportunities in the country. India will soon become a Green Hydrogen exporting country," Gadkari said.
"In line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of clean and cutting-edge mobility in India, our government, through National Hydrogen Mission is committed to focusing on green and clean energy," he said.
Asked about the cost of Hydrogen fuel, the Minister said that it is likely to cost people around Rs 2 per KM, way less than other fuels.
Gadkari averred that the government will not just produce it, they also plan to export green Hydrogen. "It is a big revolution," he added.
"I will ensure that there will be only one toll plaza within 60 kms and if there is a second toll plaza, then it will be shut in next three months. I will ensure that the norms are fully implemented in the next three months, " he said, replying to a discussion in the Lok Sabha on the demands for grants pertaining to his ministry.
Referring to the points raised by members, Gadkari said people residing near the toll plazas woll be able to get passes with the use of Aadhaar Cards.
The Road and Transport Minister also said rapid strides in technology and green fuel will reduce the cost of electric automobiles, bringing them at par with petrol-run vehicles in the next two years.
Replying in the Lok Sabha on the Demands for Grants for Road Transport and Highways Ministry, 2022-23, Gadkari emphasised the need to shift to cost-effective indigenous fuel and hoped that this fuel will be a reality soon, bringing the pollution levels down and improving the overall situation in Delhi.
Urging MPs to adopt hydrogen technologies for transport, Gadkari asked them to take initiative in their respective districts for converting sewage water to produce green hydrogen.
Hydrogen will soon be the cheapest fuel alternative, he said.
"I can say within maximum two years, the cost of electric scooter, car, autoricksahw will be same as petrol-driven scooter, car, autorickshaw. Prices of lithium-ion battery are coming down. We are developing this chemistry of zinc-ion, aluminium-ion, sodium-ion batteries. If petrol, you are spending Rs 100, then on electric vehicle you will spend Rs 10 (for using)," Gadkari said.
Gadkari also said, "We've made it mandatory that every car carrying upto 8 passengers should have 6 airbags. The automobile industry complained of increased expenses, but, we won't patronise the affluent at the cost of poor consumers' lives."
(With PTI Inputs)
The project was inaugurated by Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari. The pilot will be carried out by Toyota along with International Center for Automotive Technology (ICAT) to study and evaluate the Toyota Mirai, which is based on this zero-emission technology.
Mirai, which runs on hydrogen battery pack, is capable of providing a range of up to 646 km in a single charge. It is also considered a true zero-emission vehicle and if the pilot is successful, 'Mirai', the world’s most advanced Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV) will soon run on Indian roads.
Replying to supplementary queries during Question Hour, Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari said the government will soon implement a Rs 7,500-crore scheme with the help of the World Bank to address the problem and reduce accident-prone and black spots on national and state highways.
He sought the support of people in reducing accidents and saving precious lives.
Gadkari said it was unfortunate that 65 per cent of those dying every year were in the 18-45 age group.
"The government is very sensitive about this issue. We will soon implement a Rs 7,500-crore plan with the support of the World Bank across the country. We have urged the World Bank to implement this programme across the country.
"We will soon get cabinet approval on this scheme, which will help improve upon accident-prone and black spots on national highways and state roads," he told the House.
The minister said the scheme has been implemented in Tamil Nadu with the help of the World Bank where 50 per cent reduction in accidents and deaths has been noted.
"This is a very unfortunate subject. As many people do not die in war or Covid. Every year 1.5 lakh people die, we are the highest in the world. We have to work on it," Gadkari said.
The minister pitched for creating awareness, observance of rules, and improving road engineering and automobile engineering.
"We cannot work on this without the support of people and all including NGOs, educational institutions and people have to come forward in creating awareness about road accidents," he said.
He said states such as Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh have helped reduce road accidents by around 50 per cent, while in places like Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Nagaland accidents have increased by 47 and 40 per cent respectively.
"The record of states like Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra is not good and needs to improve. Overall the country does not have a very good record," he said.
The road transport and highways minister also asserted that the pace of highways construction in the country will cross 40 km per day in the current financial year.
The pace of highways construction in the country touched a record 37 km per day in the financial year 2020-21.
Recently, the Supreme Court reserved its verdict on pleas with respect to the ambitious project. The strategic 900 kilometre-long Chardham project worth Rs 12,000 crore aims to widen roads and provide all-weather connectivity to four holy places -- Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath -- in Uttarakhand.
"This is all misinformation (Ye galat prachar hai). Earlier there used to be flash floods and cloud bursts which used to cause damages and deaths," Gadkari, who is known for expressing frank views on any matter, told PTI.
His remarks also come against the backdrop of concerns about ecological issues expressed in certain quarters on the widening of the road for the Chardham project.
Gadkari pointed out that now, the hilly terrains have been secured with the construction of a tunnel (beneath chamba town).
"We are being sensitive about ecology and environment while carrying out development projects," he asserted.
Recently, a bench of Justices DY Chandrachud, Surya Kant, and Vikram Nath, reserved its verdict on a plea of the Ministry of Defence to modify its earlier order and a plea of an NGO 'Citizens for Green Doon' against the widening of the road.
The apex court was hearing the Centre's plea seeking modification of the September 8, 2020 order, which had asked the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) to follow the 2018 circular stipulating carriageway width of 5.5 metre on the Chardham highway project, which goes up to the China border.
The Ministry of Defence has sought a modification of the order and directions that the national highways from Rishikesh to Mana, from Rishikesh to Gangotri, and from Tanakpur to Pithoragarh may be developed to two-lane configuration.
Gadkari said monetisation of some national highways has already fetched the government Rs 25,000 crore.
Road assets worth Rs 1.60 lakh crore will be monetised over four years till FY 2025 under the ambitious national asset monetisation plan.
Speaking at a highway inauguration ceremony here, Gadkari said he was also studying the sirens used by ambulances and police vehicles and replace them with a more pleasant tune played on the All India Radio.
Gadkari said he put an end to red beacons. Now I want to put an end to these sirens as well. Now I am studying the sirens (used by) ambulances and police.
An artist composed a tune of Akashwani (All Indian Radio) and it was played early in the morning. I am thinking of using that tune for ambulances so that people feel pleasant. It is so irritating, especially after ministers pass by, the sirens are used at full volume. This also harms the ears.
I am studying this and soon planning to make a law that the horns of all vehicles should be in Indian musical instruments so that it is pleasant to hear. Flute, tabla, violin, mouth organ, harmonium, Gadkari said.
The Union minister said the new Mumbai-Delhi highway worth Rs 1 lakh crore is already under construction, but it goes through Bhiwandi and reaches the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust the periphery of Mumbai.
Gadkari said the ministry is already building a highway on the Vasai creek. He said as the then PWD minister of Maharashtra, he could not link Bandra-Worli to Vasai-Virar.
I plan to build a bridge in the sea and link it to the Bandra-Worli Sea Link and then it should take 12 hours (to cover the distance between) Nariman Point to Delhi. This will decongest the Western Express Highway, Gadkari said.
He said 5 lakh accidents take place in India every year claiming the lives of 1.5 lakh people and lakhs are injured. We lose 3 per cent of our GDP due to accidents, he added.
Accidents on the Mumbai-Pune highway have come down by 50 per cent. Tamil Nadu government has brought down accidents and deaths by 50 per cent, but in Maharashtra, similar success could not be achieved, he said.
Maharashtra has a high rate of people dying due to accidents, the Union minister said.
Gadkari also said he had made six airbags compulsory for vehicles.
The Road Transport and Highways Minister was speaking at the felicitation of COVID-19 warriors in Karad city of Maharashtra's Satara district.
He said the cooperative sector should also come forward to set up medical facilities.
"Once during a discussion with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, I told him about the scarcity of ventilators. He asked me how many ventilators were there in the country, to which I replied there must be around 2.5 lakh. But he told me that there were only 13,000 ventilators when the coronavirus pandemic broke out in the country," Gadkari said.
There was a lack of oxygen, beds, and other medical facilities at that time. But doctors, paramedical, nurses helped a lot in those times, he said, adding, "I appreciate their work."
Apart from the government-run hospitals, the contribution of medical facilities set up by the cooperative and private sectors was commendable, the minister said.
"The public-private investment model in the road and infrastructure development sector can be replicated in health care and education sectors. The country needs a minimum of 600 medical colleges, 50 AIIMS-like institutions and 200 super-speciality hospitals. The government is also thinking of providing help to those social organisations that work in medical and education sectors," Gadkari said.
He also stressed the need to have at least one veterinary hospital in every tehsil.
The emergency landing strip at Satta-Gandhav stretch on National Highway-925 in Jalore, Rajasthan, has been constructed for Rs 43 crore, including land acquisition for Rs 5 crore.
The ministers witnessed multiple aircraft operations on the emergency landing facility (ELF) of NH-925. Apart from Hercules, Su-30 MKI and AN 32 landed at the emergency landing strip. Also Jaguar fighter aircraft made touch and go demonstration at the landing strip.
Sukhoi-30 fighter jet also conducted a mock emergency landing at the ELF in front of the two ministers.
An-32 military transport aircraft and Mi-17v5 helicopter of the IAF also landed at the emergency strip, showing its complete operational readiness to act as an auxiliary military airbase.
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has developed the 3-km section of Satta-Gandhav stretch of NH-925 as an ELF for the IAF.
The NHAI in coordination with Indian Air Force is going to develop 27 such landing strips across the country.
In October 2017, fighter jets and transport planes of the IAF had conducted mock landings on the Lucknow-Agra Expressway to show that such highways can be used by the IAF planes for landing in case of an emergency.
The Lucknow-Agra Expressway, which is not a national highway, comes under the Uttar Pradesh government.
The emergency landing strip -- which was inaugurated on Thursday -- is part of newly developed two-lane paved shoulder of Gagariya-Bakhasar and Satta-Gandhav section having total length of 196.97 km and costing Rs 765.52 crore under the Bharatmala project.
This highway project will improve connectivity between villages of Barmer and Jalore districts located on the international border.
Apart from the emergency landing strip, three helipads (size 100 x 30 metres each) have been constructed in Kundanpura, Singhania and Bakhasar villages under this project. These helipads are near International Boundary.
"Out of the 5,803 black spots, temporary measures have been taken on 5,167 black spots and 2,923 black spots have been permanently rectified," Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, said in a written reply in the Lok Sabha.
The Transport Research Wing (TRW) under the ministry collected the data on black spots from the states and UTs and forwarded them to the concerned agencies -- the National Highways Authority of India, National Highways and Infrastructure Development and DG Roads -- for further action.
"Road accident black spot is a stretch of National Highway of about 500m in length in which either five road accidents (in all three years put together involving fatalities/grievous injuries) took place during the last three calendar years or 10 fatalities (in all three years put together) took place during the last three calendar years," the minister said.
To rectify the black spots, the ministry has taken several steps.
The minister said that black spots are being rectified by immediate short-term measures such as cautionary road signs and markings, transverse bar markings, rumble strips and solar blinkers, among others.
For long-term rectification, measures such as flyovers, underpasses, foot over bridges, service roads etc. are being provided wherever required, Gadkari said.
"Each black spot location is being inspected by the road safety officers from the regional offices, project directors of the concerned PIU along with road safety experts who recommend the mitigation measures. Based on the recommendations, approval is being granted by the regional officers," the minister said.
The NHAI has issued comprehensive guidelines on the preparation of proposals, granting of sanctions and execution of work for the rectification of black spots, he said.
"Under these guidelines, the regional officers have been delegated financial power of up to Rs 50 crore for rectification of black spots, including land acquisition without sending files to the headquarters for approval," the minister said.
Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways, Nitin Gadkari, had written a letter to Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, informing the latter that the centre has allocated Rs 190 crore for land acquisition for the project.
Soon after the announcement, the three major political parties of the state BJD, BJP and Congress are now at loggerheads to take credit for the project.
At a presser, members of Bolangir district BJP termed it as a Diwali gift for the residents of Bolangir and banners, posters and flags of BJP have been put up at different places across the district to take credit for the project.
Spokesperson of Bolangir district BJP, Pravas Panigrahy said โInitially they accused of central negligence after demand for Rs 241 crore was rejected. After a proper assessment was done, centre immediately allocated Rs 190 crore for the project.โ
On the other hand ruling-BJD MP Kalikesh Singh Deo said โI have personally spoken to Union Minister Nitin Gadkari and he has agreed for the project. A revised estimate of Rs 190 crore has been sent."
Even the Congress has not left itself out of the race saying that the project has been a political issue since last two decades and a letter was initially written by Bolangir MLA, Narasingha Mishra after discussing the matter at the Public Account Committee meeting.
โThose who do not have any idea about the project should make an assessment first as to when it was started, why it was delayed and who was responsible for the delay,โ Bolangir MLA Narasingh Mishra said.
Apart from the political parties, the Bolangir Joint Action Committee has also included them in the race to take credit as the organisation had earlier called for a two-day bandh demanding construction of a bypass to prevent road mishaps in the town. The committee said that it is the victory of the general public of Bolangir.
"Bolangir Joint Action Committee along with various social committees has pressed for the project, so the credit goes to them as well as to the media,โ said Convenor of Bolangir Joint Action Committee, Gopalji Panigrahi.
On the other hand, local residents opined that everyone should stand up for the development of Bolangir rather than politicising everything.
As per reports, there are lots of mismanagement in the construction work. Security guards employed by the construction company have not been paid for the past two months. Besides, any officials of the company have not visited the site yet.
"Work has been stopped since last two months. Though we have been doing our duty and looking after the site to stop theft of machinery and other construction materials, our salary has not been released since August," said Indraj, a security guard.
Commenting on the matter, Sub-contractor Manoj Kumar Amat said, "Payment of labours are outstanding since last five months even though our workforce have been engaged in the project."
In July 2017, Union Transport minister Nitin Gadkari had laid foundation stone for the proposed second bridge over Brahmani river. However, construction work had begun by the end of June this year.
In its reaction, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) stated that the work had been stopped due to some technical and land acquisition issues.
"The construction work had been stopped due to some fault in designing. Besides, workforce and machineries couldn't be mobilised to the site due to issues over land acquisition," said Project director Saurav Chaurashiya.
"We have informed the higher-ups about the issues and are hopeful to find a solution soon," Chaurashiya added.
Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari, in a letter to Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, informed about the decision.
Locals of Bolangir town had been demanding and even staged demonstration for the construction of bypass to avoid the increasing cases of road mishaps in the town.
In the second week of August only, as many as four persons were killed in separate road mishaps in the town.
Speaking to the media, after a meeting with Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari, Pradhan said that there is need to develop the region and it would remain incomplete without an airport.
Besides, he said that they had discussions on construction of a 400-bedded hospital at Paradip, expansion and modernisation of Paradip port as well.
"Paradip is important from international trade point of view. We aim to turn the town into a 'Smart City'," Pradhan said adding, "Water from the Mahanadi River is being used by the industries in the region. So, we have decided to reduce the dependence and promote utilization of sea water through desalination process."
The Union Minister said that a total of Rs 92,000 crore will be earmarked for all the infrastructure development in Paradip.
Later, Pradhan tweeted, "Paradip is one of the major ports in Odisha. Discussed timely completion of several ongoing projects which will harness the full potential of the port. Stressed on seamless integration of the port with the hinterlands through railways, road networks & inland waterways. Augmenting maritime infra in Paradip will help build a futuristic infrastructure in Odisha leading to the holistic development of the State."
He further tweeted, "Increased economic activities in Paradip & neighbouring areas through port linked projects will lead to creation of more than 15-20 thousand direct employment opportunities in the region & lakhs of indirect jobs."
Besides, Pradhan retweetedย tweets of Union Cabinet Minister of Food Processing Harsimrat Kaur Badal and the Ministry of Shipping related to the meeting.
Discussed initiatives to accelerate port led industrialization around the Paradip port,with Union Min. of Road Transport, Highways & Shipping Sh. @nitin_gadkari Ji & Union Min. for Petroleum & Natural Gas Sh. @dpradhanbjp ji. The port is handling 100 mn tones of cargo. pic.twitter.com/OVjHZREO38
โ Harsimrat Kaur Badal (@HarsimratBadal_) April 26, 2018
Fast tracking Port-led-development in Paradip #Sagarmala -Shri @nitin_gadkari chairs inter-ministerial meeting;Directed various agencies like NHAI,Railways,AAI, IOCL, to extend full cooperation for development of infra facilities which would lead to development of entire region pic.twitter.com/7ZPpOWswFp
โ Ministry of Shipping (@shipmin_india) April 26, 2018
In a letter to CM Naveen, the Union Minister said that formation of tribunal on such dispute only delays the solution. Records show that solution to water disputes through tribunals take 20 to 30 years to be resolved. So, in the very interest of both the states, an amicable solution through dialogue is necessary, said Gadkari.
"The Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between Madhya Pradesh and Odisha (Dt. 27-04-1983) provides a mechanism to resolve the issue through formation of a Joint Control Board. However, no Control Board has been constituted. I appeal to you to initiate early action for formation of the Control Board," he said.
Gadkari also requested the Chief Minister to communicate a date convenient to him for discussion, adding that the Centre is committed to safeguard the interests of Odisha and ensure no injustice is done to the State.
โA composite tribunal which will merge all the tribunals of various states is on the anvil and once that becomes a law, Odisha will get a tribunal on the Mahanadi water dispute with Chhattisgarh,โ Gadkari said in Lok Sabha today while replying to BJD MP Bhartruhari Mahatabโs query whether the Centre is going to implement or enforce a tribunal as earlier as possible.
Bhartruhari however questioned the Centreโs intention citing that why it is taking an excuse of a new law being enacted while the existing law gives Odisha the right to demand and get a tribunal. Commenting on the suggestion of the Union minister of holding discussions with centre for a solution instead of a tribunal which may take years to resolve the issue, Bhartruhari said that the centre has earlier expressed its inability to restrain Chhattisgarh from constructing the barrages and that is the reason why Odisha is not coming forward to sit with the centre for discussions.
Earlier replying to another question from BJD MP from Sambalpur, Nagendra Kumar Pradhan, Gadkari said that the barrages which were constructed by Chhattisgarh were meant for irrigating land up to 2000 hectares for which Centreโs permission is not required.
While agreeing to Nagendraโs claims that water flow of Mahanadi has declined during the non-monsoon period, Gadkari said that it is also true that every year losses to the tune of Rs 800 crore ย is suffered due to flood in Mahanadi. If we divert that excess water during the rainy season and store it then it will resolve the problem and in this regard Centre is ready to bear all the capital costs for the required infrastructure, he added.
Explaining why the tribunal is not formed till now, Gadkari said, that the centre meanwhile has decided to constitute a single tribunal instead of different tribunals for different disputes. The process of a composite tribunal has already begun and the proposal is pending before the Union Law ministry. If a tribunal for Mahanadi is constituted now, then it will lose its significance once the composite tribunal comes into effect, said Gadkari adding that the centre is waiting for the new legislation to come into effect.
In response to which, BJD Bolangir MP Kalikesh Sigh Deo asked Gadkari, "With what kind of confidence we would have gone to the Centre when it violates own law. As per the Inter-State River Disputes Act, 1956, the Centre is statutorily bound to form a tribunal within one year of a complaint."
Citing that the stiputaled 1-year window has already elapsed and the centre has failed to constitute a tribunal, Kalikesh said that the Centre is making excuses of new legislations while a law already exists.
โWe have discussed all projects including some under Bharatmala scheme. The work on the second bridge on Brahmani River will begin very soon. We are waiting for some statutory approvals from necessary authorities. Chief Secretary has assured us all help. We are fully prepared to begin the project. We will award tender as soon as we get the required clearances,โ NHAI member (project) Anand Singh told reporters after meeting the Chief Secretary.
Recently Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari had written to Odisha government citing that lack of clearances from the Odisha Forest department led to the delay in construction of the bridge.
Also Read:ย Polavaram Row: Odisha argues in SC in favour of amicable solution
Odisha refuted the claims citing that the proposed Brahmani bridge site is on non-forest land and no clearances are necessary. CM Naveen also said that if the centre is not serious about the project then the state government will build it with its own funds.
https://youtu.be/u_cmuCa8gM0
New Delhi/Bhubaneswar: In reply to the letter of Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari which stated that delay in forest clearance was the reason for non-commencement of construction of second bridge over Brahmani River, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today said no such clearance is necessary for the construction as the proposed site is non-forest in nature.
"I understand that no forest clearance is necessary for construction of the said bridge as the proposed site is non-forest in nature. This has been confirmed in the letter of State Forest authorities," wrote Patnaik in reply to Gadkari.
"The Project Director of NHAI at Rourkela has also stated that the said land where 2nd bridge over Brahmani has to be constructed is non-forest," he added.
Patnaik stated there is no impediment for the NHAI to start the construction work even tomorrow and assured Gadkari that the State government will extend all support.
Moreover, NHAI Project Director of Project Implementation Unit, Rourkela, P Madhu in a letter to Bonai DFO had stated, "The status of land on which the bridge is proposed to be constructed over river Brahmani near Vedvyas (Rourkela) is non-forest."
Copies of the letter had also been forwarded to NHAI Bhubaneswar Regional Office and to Rourkela DFO, the letter stated.
Also Read:ย Delay in Odisha govt approvals led to tardy progress of 2nd Brahmani bridge: Gadkari
Earlier in the day, Odisha Parliamentary Affairs Minister Bikram Keshari Arukh had also informed the State Assembly that forest clearance is not required for construction of bridge over river Brahmani in Rourkela.
โThere is no forest near the proposed bridge site. Rourkela DFO has already apprised his higher authorities on the matter. Moreover, no land acquisition is required for construction of a bridge over Brahmani River. I request BJP not to mislead the people and should take steps to expedite the work,โ Arukh said.
Gadkari in a letter to Patnaik had stated that delay in statutory approvals from Odisha Government including forest clearance and land acquisition has led to non-commencement of project on Birmitrapur-Barkote section of NH-143.
โI was surprised and pained to receive your letter and media reports suggesting the delay on part of NHAI. I may like to clarify that all these projects are delayed for want of forest clearance and land issues,โ the letter read.
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Gadkari in his letter assured to begin the work within seven days of necessary approvals.
Recalling his previous meeting with CM Naveen in Delhi, Gadkari reminded Patnaik that he had raised the issues of forest clearance and land acquisition and the CM had assured to resolve all pending issues at the earliest. However, four such projects are waiting for necessary approvals from Odisha government, the letter read.
The Union Minister further stated that the Odisha government should appreciate his stand as he rejected its proposal for a new two-lane Brahmani bridge and approved six-lane instead in view of future growth in traffic and socio economic importance of the bridge.
He stated that his ministry has been proactively taking up development of national highways in Odisha and work on 3,121 kms of road with an investment of Rs 22,011 crore (approx) is in progress in State.
Ray has vehemently criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his own party leader and Union Minister for Road and Transport Nitin Gadkari for not fulfilling their promise of early completion of the much-awaited second bridge over Bramhani River.
In a letter to Gadkari, Ray has expressed dissatisfaction citing that despite the project getting PM Narendra Modiโs โgo ahead,โ it is still languishing in neglect.
โModi had earlier promised to complete the project in his pre-election speech at Rourkela in 2014 and had reiterated his pledge when he had come to the city on April 1, 2015 after winning the election. However, even after two years of the announcement, darkness looms over the future of the project,โ Ray wrote.
Further Ray stated that, โThe delay in the project is a dampener in the vision of โSabka Saath Sabka Vikasโ, putting to doubt the sincerity of the project and the delay has put us on the back foot. (SIC)โ
Rourkela Jagran Manch today also staged a demonstration in protest of the delay in the execution of the project.
โOnly the soil testing has been done and even after five months the project is yet to make any headway,โ said Rourkela Jagran Manch president, Amitabh Samal.
Meanwhile, Rayโs letter has provided an opportunity to BJD to train its gun on BJP.
โWhen nobody can keep PMโs commitment, it shows the intent of the BJP. Everyone in Odisha has realized that BJP always do the opposite of what they promise and now their partyโs MLA has also understood it,โ said BJD MLA, Subrat Tarai.
Odisha BJP Chief Basant Panda however stated that there might be some delay due to technical issues and the matter would be resolved soon.
https://youtu.be/sOJro2Cd0z8
At a meeting with Union Road Transport & Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari in New Delhi, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today discussed road infrastructure issues and asked the Union minister to take urgent steps for early completion of National Highways in Odisha.
โI impressed on the minister (Nitin Gadkari) to finalise the tender processes and complete pending critical works on National Highways in Odisha involving 6 stretches and road length up to 585 km,โ Patnaik told reporters soon after the meeting.
The CM also urged the Union Minister to "Construct a flyover at Khandagiri in Bhubaneswar and at Gohira Chhak leading to Infovalley-2 near Khurda on NH-16 early; to declare 12 roads having a length of 1,193 km as NHs and lastly to approve 30 eligible state roads of 2,483 km length as new National Highways as per proposals submitted in December, 2016."
โIn response, Gadkari said he will certainly see that all these projects are expedited,โ Patnaik told newsmen.
https://youtu.be/d40YLKzOitg
The Union minister said each unit will be built 40 to 50 km apart along the highways.
While unveiling logos of Highway Nest and Highway Village, the Union Minister stated the units will have food court, drinking water facility, toilets, shops and a fuel pump.
The smaller ones will be called Highway Nest while the larger ones will be called Highway Village.
Union Ministers Jual Oram and Dharmendra Pradhan and Rourkela legislator Dilip Ray will also attend foundation laying ceremony at Balughat ground in Rourkela.
Though Rs 476 crore fund has been sanctioned by the centre for the second Brahmani bridge, GKC Projects has agreed to execute the construction work at Rs 381.75 crore.
Dilip Ray, Rourkela MLA, said, โI am happy finally the project is going to take off though after significant delay. The bridge work should start by October and get over within one and a half year.โ
On the other hand, Umashankar Das, Rourkela SP, said, โWith the help of CRPF and CISF staff, the district police have set up a full-proof security arrangement for the Union Ministersโ visit.โ
Gadkari is also scheduled to attend bhumi poojan of national highway project works at Balasore-Jharpokharia, Angul-Sambalpur, Tileibani-Sambalpur and Baharagora-Singara.
After a meeting with Gadkari along with Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan here, Oram said, โThe programme for the foundation stone laying ceremony has been finalised.โ
Besides, discussion was held on national projects at Balasore-Jharpokharia, Angul-Sambalpur, Tileibani-Sambalpur and Baharagora-Singara, Oram said in a Facebook post.
It is worth to be mentioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said at a public meeting in April 2015 the bridge construction work to begin soon.
But, the second bridge construction over Brahmani was delayed. BJP leader and Rourkela legislator Dilip Ray raised the inordinate delay and boycotted various party programmes citing his resentment over the issue.
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Pattnaik also wrote to Gadkari in May and raised his concern over the delay in bridge construction and requested him to start the work immediately.
In reply, Gadkari had written that the foundation of the bridge will be laid in June third week. However, there was still delay in work due to some issues on tender opening.
The bridge from Balughat to TCI Chhak and part of six-lane national highway from Rajamunda to Biramitrapur will be built at Rs 565 crore.
In response to a letter of chief minister Naveen Patnaik, the union minister wrote to Odisha government stating โTender for the project has already been floated and last date of submission of bids is June 12, 2017. I am sure we will be able to finish all necessary legal process of award within June and lay foundation by end of June, 2017".
The minister also assured to convert the bridge from two-lane to six-lane as per the request of local MP and Union Minister Jual Oram, Petroleum minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Rourkela MLA Dilip Ray. โThey requested that earlier 2-lane project was not sufficient keeping in view growth of traffic in that area and socio-economic importance of the road. Therefore, accepting their intervention, I have directed my ministry to enlarge the scale of project and the bridge has been converted to 6-lane along with 4-lane road upto Birmitrapur", Gadkari mentioned in the letter.
Considering the seriousness of the matter, he split the entire project into two parts: 6-lane bridge on river Brahmani including 4-lane road project with a length of 29.10 km from Birmitrapur to Brahmani bypass and another 4-lane project from Brahmani bypass to Rajamunda.
"I would request you to intervene in the matter urgently and direct the NHAI for taking immediate action towards construction of the 2nd bridge over river Brahmani near Panposh on the NH 143 so as to alleviate the traffic congestion on the existing old and weak bridge, in the larger public interestโ, Patnaik stated in his letter.
Bringing the sorry state of the old narrow bridge to the notice of the union minister, the CM said the road carries a heavy and congested mining and commercial traffic. "The bridge is in a distressed condition and not adequate to meet the requirement of safe and swift movement of the people and freight", Patnaik mentioned in the letter.
Explaining severe congestion on the old bridge on NH143 connecting Sambalpur and Rourkela, he said movement of coal, minerals and other produces to the steel city are being disrupted. "This would have a detrimental impact on the economy of the State", the letter read.
Meanwhile, Rourkela MLA Dilip Ray thanked the CM for writing to Centre for construction of a second bridge on river Brahmanai, which is a long standing demand of the local people.
Bhubaneswar: While BJD continues to be locked in a war of words with BJP-led Chhattisgarh government on Mahanadi river water-sharing, Odisha government today stepped up its demand for dredging of Mahanadi river mouth by dashing off a petition to the Centre.
Even as the Mahanadi water-sharing continues to a bone of contention, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik called upon the Union Shipping Ministry to take up the dredging work of the Mahanadi river mouth for unhindered discharge of river water into the Bay of Bengal.
In a terse letter loaded with facts on the precarious state of the river mouth, chief minister Naveen Patnaik urged Union minister for Road Transport and Highways and Shipping Nitin Gadkari for the expeditious resumption of the dredging work.
โI request you to issue appropriate instructions to Paradip Port Trust (PPT) authorities to take up dredging of the river mouth and the navigational channel urgently for smooth and safe navigation of the fishing vesselsโ, Patnaik said.
It is reported that the depth available at the river mouth is less than 1 meter though the fishing vessels require a minimum depth of 4 meters for smooth and safe navigation. The fisherfolks have been demanding for dredging of the river mouth for reduction of accidents and casualties, which are showing an increasing trend, Patnaik expressed concern through the letter.
The Central Institute of Coastal Engineering for Fishery, Bengaluru, has reported that due to the beach nourishment work undertaken by the PPT for protection of the sea wall, the siltation at the Mahanadi river mouth has been aggravated and no remedial measures have been taken to arrest the movement of sand towards the river mouth and navigation channel, the letter iterated.
Siltation and sand casting of the basin and river mouth areas has adversely affected the smooth movement of crafts and fishing vessels.
"While the harbour basin dredging work is being done from state government funding, we have sought for central funding for the dredging of Mahanadi river mouth because of it involves at least Rs 50 crore cost. The matter has been brought to the notice of the National Fisheries Development Board. We have also sought the assistance of the Central Institute of Coastal Engineering for Fishery (CICEF). Besides PPT has also been urged upon to take up the river mouth dredging work", said an official.
The Paradip fishing harbour commissioned in 1996 under Union Agriculture ministry funding continues to be Odishaโs largest marine fishing hub. The management of the harbour had taken a beating as it remains under the administrative control of the PPT while State Marine Fisheries department has little say in harbour development matters. As the dual administrative arrangement of this nature hit the harbour stakeholders a lot, the port had handed over the harbour to the state government in 2011. The Paradip fishing harbour continues to maintain its track record of being stateโs largest exporter of marine produces mainly sea fish. An estimated 3,500 metric tonnes of high-grade shrimps are exported mainly to European countries every year from this fishing hub. The annual shrimp export turnover from the harbour is to the tune of Rs 150 crore which incidentally accounts for over 40% total annual shrimp export from the state.
"Siltation and sand casting of both the harbour the basin and river mouth areas has adversely affected the smooth movement of crafts and fishing vessels. The dredging of the river mouth had been undertaken way back in 1997. Since then the basin area and the river mouth has been left unattended without periodic maintenance", said Executive Engineer, Marine Fisheries wing (Harbour and Dock), Nalinikanta Padhee.
The harbour basin area of the stateโs largest fishing harbour and Mahanadi river mouth had undergone siltation over the year and it was proving hazardous and unsafe for navigation of fishing crafts. Incidents of mishaps had often grabbed the spotlight as fishing boats stuck in low water level due to underwater soil deposits. The crews of fishing trawls and crafts often faced turbulent situation as vessels crash against the uneven underwater surface resulting in the mid-water mishaps, he said.
The state government has already undertaken Rs 6.7 crore dredging project of the harbour basin from its own resources. It is expected to be completed shortly. However, dredging of the river mouth is the urgent need of the hour. The river mouth dredging is a high-cost project which may run to Rs 100 crore or more. We hope that the union shipping ministry would come forward to dredge the river mouth, the official added.
The fishing harbour also caters to the needs of nearly 640 sea-worthy fishing trawls and about 2,000 medium size vessels. It helps out over 50,000 marine fishing stakeholders in their daily quest for bread and butter.
Making the revelation on his Twitter handle, Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan said, โGrateful to Hon'ble PM & @nitin_gadkari Ji for approving the alignment of 550 KM Digha-Gopalpur NH in Odisha.โ
In another Tweet, Pradhan stated, โThe ball has been set rolling for preparation of the Detailed Project Report(DPR) in consultation with the State Government."
โThe proposed road will pave the way for a new economic architecture of the state. It will boost tourism and facilitate coastal development,โ he hoped.
Hinting that Gadkari has promised finalization of another 2,500 km road in consultation with all the stakeholders, Pradhan said โThese roads will provide connectivity in the Naxal affected tribal regions & will help curb the menace by boosting economic activities.โ
Notably, during his Odisha visit earlier this month, Gadkari had announced a Rs 5,000 crore investment for improvement of the road between Gopalpur (Odisha) and Digha in West Bengal.