NEW DELHI, May 9: Terming as ‘baseless’ opposition charge that the NDA Government mired the National Highways Authority of India in debt, Minister for Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari on Thursday said that lot more structural development has happened during five years of NDA rule compared to that during the 50 years of the Congress governmemnts at the Centre.
In an interview at his residence, the Union Minister said the NDA Government has been following the same methodology and criteria for the construction of highways as was followed by the UPA. However, while during UPA regime only two km of roads were being constructed each day, in comparison 32 km roads per day were constructed in NDA’s regime.
Challenging those who find out faults in the road measuring technique, Mr Gadkari said there has neither any tempering with the machines used in road measuring technique , nor has there been any change in its process.
The Union Minister said that inrather than steep NHAI in debt, the NDA has in fact turned into profitable venture
He said, till date his Government has assigned the work for constructing roads worth Rs 11.5 lakh crore. NHAI was supposed to get Rs 9,600 crore from selling the roads but now it has got Rs 9600 crore.
Mr Gadkari said in terms of funds, NHAI isin a very strong position today and it has no shortage of funds for construction of roads.
Mr Gadkari said that when he took charge of the Road Transport Ministry in 2014, 430 projects had been shut down and these were restarted by him.
During the Congress’ regime, the Government had put in Rs three lakh crore of bank money in in Non Performing Assets, but he took the banks out of those NPAs.
Mr Gadkari said his Government has worked in a transparent manner and it has resulted in comprehensive this has ensured that the structural development that happened in the last five years of NDA rule had not been done in 50 years.
The Ministry has assigned work worth Rs 17 lakh crore work in five years, but not a single contractor approached him. Roads that have been built are so well constructed that they will not need any repair for a long time.
On the question regarding cleanliness of Ganga, he said, ”this holy river will be completely cleaned by March next year. Projects for cleaning of the ganga are going on at a fast pace , which will be completed by next year.” (UNI)
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