Perform or take VRS; don't sit on files: Union Minister Nitin Gadkari to babus

NEW DELHI: The government is struggling to build 18 kms of roads per day, but the roads, highways and transport ministry has set an ambitious target of constructing 100 kms of roads every day.

Roads, transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari said his government would do mapping of all roads and proposed projects through unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) which would substantially reduce the time taken in preparing Detailed Project Reports (DPR).

“Preparing DPR takes a long time. If we use this technology and make it available to our engineers and concessionaires, it would substantially cut down the time taken in rolling out projects. We should have construction capacity of 100 kms per day,” Gadkari said while speaking at the Roads Assets Management Systems (RAMS) workshop.

RAMS is being developed for national highways network in India bringing both public funded and private funded roads under one umbrella. The World Bank funded project will assist in the accurate and scientific planning and finalising of road projects, maintenance of roads and executing road safety measures.

Gadkari also said officials in his ministry wouldn’t be allowed to sit on files and the government was looking for quick results on ground.

“We need faster clearances, quick project report preparations but there are officials sitting on files and not taking decisions. Those who do not want to work, please take VRS. We need people with positive attitude. Performance audit will be conducted,” he said.

India has a target of taking its National Highways network to 1.5 lakh kms from the existing 96,000 kms. The government is planning to awards roads contract worth Rs 5 lakh crore in coming years.

“We have no shortage of funds but our speed needs to be increased. Both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley have emphasised to expedite the pace of road construction,” he said.