TIMES OF INDIA, Delhi, 22.1.2018
Page No. 16, Size:(21.46)ems X (28.07)ems.
‘Lam hopeful of the daily highway
construction reaching close to 40
km a day by next year’
Nutn Jatram Gaakart ts Cabinet
‘Minister tn charge of transport through
roads, inland waterways, shipping and
also in charge of reluienaling river
Ganga. sletatksto Dipak Dashabout nis
ans for tadta's nprastructure
wm What ts your target for 2018-19 In
thehighwayssector?
"We have pushed both award and con
sernetiono highways. jam hoperut of me
‘ally highway constructon eachingccse
‘to3dkmby theendof March. Bynext year
‘am hopeful of taking it cose to 0 oa
‘ty. which Thadsetastarget. Undoubeedy,
4¢3 an ambitious target. But high target
was cto achieve maxtmum progress.
i You had also set a high target for
award. Don't you dink yovernmont
should focus more on butlding high
‘quality roads rather than tendering
projects?
‘We Nave a high target for award of
‘works, I agroo that mich of stress on
award doesn’t help if we dont make
‘adoquate tnd avallablefor carrying out
‘works, Weareunabletogiveappolntment
dato (oMcial start of work) fOr many
‘projects beeauso of nonavallabity of
Jand, We need a Tot of support trom the
stale governments toaoquireland. They
musthelp nsasconstructonof highways
helps them by improving connectivity
and pushing sconamieactivities
i& Every sie you visit. youannounce ,
Dig Investment Mm highway sector.
Do youkeop track and whatare do
fundingsources?
Al announcements inado for hgh
way development arepartof theplanaire-
adyprepareby my minis: Woh en0-
{ugh sores 0 ee nts fr under
worse Naot Highvays Auorty of
Inia (SHAD hs aout Rs aD ene a
fm Tevn from tol caliction
Bugetary locaton for highway. co
Strom has Ineo shetty fn
the pas re Jars. {am expecting
Increase or Rs 200 crore curing 29,
"ho pvernmnt has ge Us prmslon
fora roo cre troup nds We
‘rile more ents ofan projec
ti as action campitt projeos £3
Ano years to pre player vit Ta
Opera and renaie CTO) mee Toe
peretrs wl pay Uv upfront a Fee
tho amount ty ete cn. Te} wl
fvotomalrinthersidend chargers
Oeil th goveranene Wear ee UD
‘oRsitekneroby blading
Sntover abandon
tines
Serica. invest
then inva (
tisswimessad sharp
ctive. Wint
ore your
ministry
andNHATdomngtorevivert?
‘We came out vith a Hybrid Anmulty
Model (HAM whieh derisks private
‘nvestment tn the sector We aro gesting
goed response. The TOT projecs I alkes
about will get investment from private
sector and big gota firms are keen in
these projets. We are confident of
Diadingoutthonrst tranche complorad
Drojects next month. 1¢ will bo =
testcase. As wo bid out mare such
‘rojecs, more private tnvestment
‘willflowe We wil use that Rand for
underiacingmore works,
a How nach invesement or expend
fare do you foresee In the IlgWway
‘Sector In thenext few years?
‘Weewilleasilysoe more thst Rs lakh
crore. investment. Mumbal- Vadodara
cxpressway project wil cost Rs 41,000
croro.Thereareseveralbigprojects,
What is your priority maw
shipping ministry?
‘Our focus 1s. On promoting water
‘transport: how to shit mare cargo and.
Dassongor movement 19
‘waterways from
roads and ral. We
are working hard
to ‘complete the
work make
Natlonal Water
way Galdia 10
'Naranast strech
ot Ganga)
navigable round
the yea: Thi
broket "costs
aapproximatoly
SG onperore,
Wo are aso working on a project ‘0
maintain minimum to metre drat 1
fie Ganga between Allahabad and
‘Varanasi so that bargas can ply Decwoen
‘eso two cites during the Kumbh Mela
Shifting 2 large number of people from
using Toads 10 taking waterways will
reduce congestion and vehicular
pollutlonas well Sagarmalatheflagship
p Programa under shipping
ministry, as potential for about
As lakh crore investment.
A eHow meh sme system
responsible for delays?
“Tnnre are obstacles in every Auld.
aivoanexample, webalita multhiowelear
barking a Transpart Bhawan to address
Daring snes, 1 took us one-and-a-half
yours to get approvals and clearances
from different agencies. One can imagine
‘now many obstacles common poople face
ingttngtiingsdone.
wm You neuieve the one neta wuere
saceess ts tsigaificant is road salou
What istheway ahead?
‘We are Josing more than 15 Jakh
peoploevery year and another taki sre
{eft injured in raed accidents. These are
hot just numbers, bat people and their
families. Wo nes 0 have a robust law
‘and proper enforcement. We havo intro
‘Quced the Motor Vehleles Amendment
BUN in tho Parilamont with adequate
provisions, Passayo of tho law will st
the ground, Butt what remains crucial
{is objective enforeamene af the laws.
Dy states and police. The fear of
sgrting caueht ovary time for violating,
traffic and transport ries wil being
toehange.