Roads and highways are more than the backbone of the economy: GenVK Singh

Minister of State for Road Transport, Highways and Civil Aviation Gen V K Singh emphasized the crucial role of roads and highways in the economy’s development. He stated that a nation prospers when its infrastructure is robust. Speaking at the one-day CII Conference on Roads and Highways, the Minister highlighted the necessity of reducing the construction costs of roads. He urged stakeholders to explore alternatives for aggregates as their availability is limited. Enhanced highways contribute to improved connectivity, leading to a reduction in logistics cost. The Minister shared that a significant 60 per cent of traffic utilizes national highways, underscoring the requirement for an increased number of well-maintained NHs in the country. CII Conference Chairman Manoj Gupta informed that the government has undertaken huge infrastructure spending and development of roads and highways is a key aspect of a developed economy. The Conference also deliberated on the emerging trends in the roads and highways sector. The panel also discussed the need for technological advancements in road safety, such as Vehicle Restraint System (VRS), Black Spot rectification, proper signage, usage of drones before and after construction. Addressing the gathering, CSIR-CRRI Director Prof Manoranjan Parida stated that India has the second largest road network with 62 lakh kms of highways and it aspires to become the world’s largest country in terms of road network. He highlighted the use of steel slag and fly ash in road construction and stated that work is in the progress to improve rural road connectivity. Technical sessions were held on creating world-class sustainable roads and highways with new technologies and optimized designs. Monetisation and legal issues in roads and highways were also discussed.