Ajay Tamta Advocates Innovation-Led, Safety-Integrated Road Planning

Shri Ajay Tamta, Hon’ble Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways, has emphasized that India’s infrastructure future must be built on innovation, safety, and context-sensitive planning. Speaking under the vision of Hon’ble PM Shri Narendra Modi’s Viksit Bharat 2047, the Minister stated that infrastructure will be the cornerstone of India’s journey to becoming a developed nation.

“The Ministry is not just building roads, but shaping corridors that fuel industrial growth, urban expansion, digital connectivity, and citizen well-being,” he said. Shri Tamta called for a paradigm shift from reactive construction to proactive, multi-sectoral, innovation-driven road planning.

Interacting with faculty and innovators from IIT Delhi and SPA Delhi, the Minister underlined the need for indigenised road design models suited to India’s unique geography, climate, behaviour, and population density. He highlighted innovative approaches such as integrated safety zones, mobility hubs, and mixed-use corridors to tackle issues like land acquisition, urban congestion, last-mile connectivity, and cost overruns.

He reviewed advanced concepts such as multi-directional free traffic models, hotspot-based safety designs, and door-to-door mobility systems using PiFi (Private Internet Fidelity), a no-app, no-URL based digital system tailored for rapid urban transport.

Shri Tamta also stressed on a governance model that invites and evaluates physical plans before DPR formulation to ensure transparency and smoother implementation. He concluded by reiterating the Ministry's commitment to placing innovation at the heart of future planning and encouraged Centres of Excellence (CoEs) to lead this transformation through cross-disciplinary collaboration.