Minister of State for Road Transport, Highways and Civil Aviation Gen V K Singh emphasised the crucial role of roads and highways in the economy’s development. He stated that a nation prospers when its infrastructure is robust.
Speaking at the one-day CII Conference on Roads and Highways, the minister highlighted the necessity of reducing the construction costs of roads. He urged stakeholders to explore alternatives for aggregates as their availability is limited. Enhanced highways contribute to improved connectivity, leading to a reduction in logistics costs.
The minister shared that a significant 60% of traffic utilises national highways, underscoring the requirement for an increased number of well-maintained NHs in the country. CII Conference chairman Manoj Gupta informed that the government has undertaken huge infrastructure spending and the development of roads and highways is a key aspect of a developed economy.
The event also deliberated on the emerging trends in the roads and highways sector. The panel also discussed the need for technological advancements in road safety, such as Vehicle Restraint Systems (VRS), Black Spot rectification, proper signage, and usage of drones before and after construction.
Addressing the gathering, the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research and Central Road Research Institute’s director, Prof Manoranjan Parida, stated that India has the second largest road network with 62 lakh kilometres of highways. It aspires to become the world’s largest country in terms of road network.
He highlighted the use of steel slag and fly ash in road construction and stated that work is in progress to improve rural road connectivity. Technical sessions were held on creating world-class sustainable roads and highways with new technologies and optimised designs. Monetisation and legal issues in roads and highways were also discussed.
