New Delhi: Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday said that India's road network has grown 59 per cent from 91,227 km in 2013-2014 to 1,45,249 km, becoming the second largest road network country after the United States of America.
Addressing a press conference here on "9 years of achievements" of the central government, the Union Minister noted that India made seven world records in the sector. The minister further informed that the revenues from tolls rose to Rs 41,342 crore in 2022 from Rs 4,770 crore in 2013-14.
On the generation of toll revenue, he said the government aims to increase the toll revenue to Rs 1,30,000 crore by 2030. Speaking about infrastructural development, road connectivity along with environmental conservation, the minister in his remarks said, "We are bringing new vehicles that will run entirely on ethanol. Bajaj, TVS and Hero scooters will run 100 per cent on ethanol."
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"If you compare it with petrol, it will be Rs 15 per litre of petrol because ethanol’s rate is Rs 60, while the rate of petrol is Rs 120 per litre. Plus it would generate 40 per cent of electricity. The average would be Rs 15 per litre", he said. Urging the journalists sitting in the conference room and other salaried employees to invest their money in the NHAI, Gadkari said that "NHAI has earned huge credibility in the market".
"I urge you to invest in NHAI. Banks give you an interest rate of 5.5% but NHAI is giving 8.05% interest per month. NHAI has earned a lot of respect in the market", he said. He further lauded the ministry officials, contractors, workers and other officials working with them for better infrastructural development. He said that "the issue of corruption has been erased as everything has been digitised and has become transparent."
