Roads and Highways sector can be considered as the foundation of the building blocks of the nation, shares Parveen Jain, CMD, Tulip Infratech Pvt. Ltd
Improvement and strengthening of the Highways network in the country is the core focus of the Government. How do you see the policies and measures helping and moving this cause?
Improvement and strengthening of the Highways network in the country are one of the core focuses of the government with emphasis on executing the policies and measures for the same. For strengthening this cause, the government has set an ambitious target of constructing 45 km of roads per day in 2018-19, which is more than the target of 27 km per day achieved in 2017-18. This year the focus shall be more on construction and the construction award work shall also be more than the previous year.
The government is working on policies to attract significant investor interest. Initiatives have been taken to develop around 66 thousand km of roads under programmes like NHDP (National Highways Development project), SARDP-NE ( Special Accelerated Road Development Programme in North East). To improve connectivity between ports and remote villages, the government has identified around 2000 km of coastal roads. Measures have also been taken to decentralize work and streamline land acquisition work for the smooth functioning of highways development programme.
Which are the key projects that are likely to create a deep impact on the growth and the future of the sector in the country?
Following projects are likely to create a deep impact on the growth of infrastructure in the country:
Bharatmala Pariyojna: This is a centrally sponsored and funded Roads and Highways project of the Indian government. This project shall build highways connecting Gujarat, Rajasthan, Punjab, Jammu Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Sikkim, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and Mizoram. Connectivity shall be provided to rural and remote areas.
NHAI (National Highways Authority of India) is planning to build 50 thousand km of roads by 2022 as part of the long-term goal of doubling the length of national highway network to 2-lakh km.
NHIDCL (National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation) has been awarded a contract to build five all-weather tunnels in Jammu Kashmir by 2024.
Mumbai’s 29 km long coastal road is going to be constructed.
How do you see the Road & Highways sector shape up by the year 2020, with a number of major projects lined up for completion?
Impeccable Roads and Highways network is the backbone for any infrastructure to develop as it leads to easy accessibility and surrounding which the habitation starts developing. This leads to the development of essential infrastructure and amenities, job creation and overall growth of economy and development of the nation. Road and Highways sector can be considered as the foundation of the building blocks of the nation. The Road & Highways sector shall shape up well by the year 2020 making connectivity easier between the states at the macro level and accessibility easier within the states at the
micro level.
What measures can be taken to ensure a model of sustainable mobility in the country?
Sustainable mobility means creating a sustainable highways and roads network without disturbing the natural environment or with minimum disturbance to it. This shall include retaining the existing trees and vegetation, not destroying the existing natural features of the land and not exhausting the natural resources. We need to ensure that whatever we create is sustainable, maintainable and usable for the future generations also. To ensure a model of sustainable mobility, we need to take the above factors into consideration and provide a pollution free green environment.
@EPC World Media
