Can use highways for building lakes, says Union Minister Nitin Gadkari
The Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari stated that his ministry will be able to address the water woes that are creating issues in different parts of the country. As per the central government's Amrit Sarovar scheme, the objective of which is the conservation of water for the future, Gadkari said that the water crisis which is prevalent in a few parts of the country can be solved by developing and rejuvenating water bodies.
The Mission Amrit Sarovar was launched on National Panchayati Raj Day on April 24 this year. The programme which was launched by the Ministry of Rural Development has a goal to develop and rejuvenate 75 water bodies in each district of the country. Gadkari, speaking at an event related to sustainability, shared that though there is no dearth of water, there is a water management issue. He said while building highways the teams require soil and hence the soil can be obtained in such a manner which can result in the creation of water bodies. “This will not only fulfil the road construction requirement but also provide new lakes in rural areas, which will eventually increase the groundwater table," said the minister.
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The Union Minister also shared an example where due to a project that was executed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), a university got 36 lakes and the nearby villages got 22 wells. Gadkari said that such innovations will not only help the surrounding areas but will also reduce the costs incurred in a project. He also appealed to the ministers and officials of the central and state governments to work on minimising project costs.
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The NHAI has been working on multiple projects amid which the construction of the Delhi-Mumbai expressway, according to Gadkari, is 70 per cent complete. Last month, he stated in a report that it is his dream to take people from Nariman Point of Mumbai to Delhi in just 12 hours which takes more time currently when one is travelling by road.
(With inputs from PTI)
