Smart mobility solutions needed to develop smart cities: Nitin Gadkari

India needs to embrace smart mobility solutions which are sustainable, serve as a substitute for import of fossil fuels and are cost-effective, pollution free and indigenously developed for smart cities to become a reality, road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari said.

“This will help reduce India’s fossil fuel import bill of Rs 22 lakh crore and substantially bring down pollution levels in big cities,” Gadkari said at the 32nd Convergence India Expo, Smart Mobility India Expo and 10th Smart Cities India 2025 Expo on Wednesday.

Laying out the roadmap for India Inc, Gadkari said the focus of the government is to develop alternative fuel options, including ethanol and bio aviation fuel, that can replace fossil fuels along with deployment of ropeways and cable cars in hilly regions and mass rapid transport systems in urban areas to cut down on road traffic.


“We need to think about alternative fuel and biofuel, by which we can reduce pollution and the cost along with smart and alternate modes of transport including waterways,” he said.

According to Gadkari, India has a huge potential for smart mobility solutions both in the domestic as well as export markets.

“India can provide good technology for smart mobility. The government is very friendly to investors, giving support to them, especially in the area of smart mobility,” he added.

Gadkari reiterated that the government is very much committed to the development of smart cities through smart mobility and smart transport, but without pollution.

“If we can save the imports of Rs 22 lakh crore of fossil fuel it will be a great benefit for the Indian economy,” he said, adding his ministry is pursuing the scrapping policy to enhance the domestic availability of raw materials like steel, rubber, plastic, aluminum at a cheaper rate.

“The way in which our economy is now developing, it is the appropriate opportunity for the investor and for the new technology, new innovators to invest in India,” he added.