Road Ministry books 1 lakh tonne cement for contractors

NEW DELHI: The road ministry has booked around one lakh tonne cement for 290 contractors for government projects on the portal launched for procuring cement at cheaper rates last month. Nitin Gadkari, road transport and highways minister, told reporters at the launch of e-magazine “Rajmarg” of the National Highways Authority of India that the cement has been ordered at the rate of Rs 120-140 per bag, against a market rate of Rs 350 per bag.

The road ministry has decided to build concrete cement roads in place of traditional bitumen roads because they are cost-effective and require less maintenance. Reiterating his stance on the National Green Tribunal order to ban diesel vehicles older than 10 years in Delhi, Gadkari said his ministry would approach the Supreme Court in this matter and also form a law to regulate these vehicles in the next six months.

“We agree with the spirit of the NGT order, but it cannot be implemented in two weeks. We need time to research and make a law about this,” Gadkari explained. He also said that he is inching closer to his target of achieving the average road construction of 30 kms a day by May next year. “By next month, we would be averaging 14 kms a day, against the 2 kms a day average of the previous government.” He added by April-end, there would not be any stalled projects remaining in the highway sector.

He said having terminated 44 contracts, the government is soon moving the cabinet note to end contracts in another 26 stuck projects.