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NDA, which is credited for fast development of infrastructure during the six years of its rule between 1998-2004, is now back in power and has started exploring ways to widen the network of cheaper but durable roadwork across the country.

Even the erstwhile UPA Government had last year conceded before the Supreme Court that former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s Government in six years’ rule built nearly 50 per cent of the total of the national highways laid in the last 32 years.

Assuming office after a decade-long hiatus under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the new Government is exploring the possibility of building a low-cost, durable road network across the country. the Highways Ministry is planning to shift to the concrete roads from bitumen-made roads. Given the fact that concrete roads are 15 per cent costlier than the bitumen roads, the Ministry is planning to strike long-term contracts with cement producers across the country with a view to purchasing the construction material at a lower cost.

Road transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari has asked the concerned authorities for a cost analysis, the report said. The proposed plan for a long-term contract could bring down the cost of investment in road construction by 37 per cent as each of the cement bags bought directly from the manufacturers will cost Rs 100 less than their open market price.

The officials of the Ministry are of the view that long-term contracts with cement manufacturers will revive the industry besides ensuring better quality of road network to be laid across the country. The cement industry is already hit by poor demand, especially in the southern States, and is waiting for the economic expansion since long. If the massive drive by the new regime is launched to widen the road network in the country with the new innovative plan, the cement industry will definitely get a big boost and may help the entire economy to get rid of its present sluggishness.

the UPA Government, in an affidavit, had said that the length of national highways in India was 29,023 km in 1980, which rose to 76,818 km by the end of 2012. The national highways were expanded to 76,818 km by 2012, an addition of 47,795 km in 32 years.

The affidavit added that during ninth five-year plan, when the BJP-led NDA was in power at the Centre, 23,814 km of national highways was added which is nearly 50 per cent of the total length of national highways laid since 1980. It is significant to note that this has been the highest length of the national highway built in a five year plan.

On the contrary, during the decade-long UPA rule, nearly 16,000 km was added to the national highway, much lesser than that of the NDA rule. With an infrastructure-friendly NDA back in power, it is hoped that the economy will again get a boost under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi whose Gujarat model of development has been widely acclaimed.

Source-On Request