As details are emerging about the portfolios under Modi 3.0, Financial Express Online Nitin Gadkari will continue as Minister of Road Transport and Highways. Gadkari is being seen as a doer and the huge infra build up in road transport and highways over the last 10 years is what is seen as the key factor for his reappointment.
Gadkari with this reappointment becomes the longest-serving minister for road transport. He has been holding the portfolio in the last two Governments under Modi. Ajay Tamta has been appointed as the Minister of State in the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. Harsh Malhotra who is also Minister of State in the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, will also have joint responsibility as Minister of State in the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways along with Tamta.
Gadkari’s achievement in previous term
His most talked about projects in the past 10 years surely include the expansion that India has seen in terms of highway construction. Under his leadership, the pace of highway construction reached nearly 40 kms a day in 2020-21. Currently it is at 35 kms a day and as per the data available at the Ministry’s website, nearly 54,860 km of national highways have been built underGadkari’s aegis.
That apart Gadkari has also been instrumental in making safety a key factor in the Indian automotive landscape. The Bharat New Car Assessment Programme (Bharat NCAP), aimed at improving road safety by raising the safety standards of motor vehicles weighing up to 3.5 tonnes was inaugurated in his previous term. Potential car customers can refer to these star ratings to compare the safety standards of different vehicles.The programme aims to develop a safety-sensitive car market in India, the ministry said.
He has also been vocal about 6 airbags in the car though the Govt has not made it mandatory. That apart other vehicle safety norms like seat belt mandatory for rear passengers and alarms for the same were introduced during his tenure. He has been also vocal about need for more helmet usage by two-wheeler users.
Alternate environment friendly fuel has been another issue that Gadkari has been quite vocal in his previous term. Introduction of flex fuel, use of green hydrogen and ethanol blending along with popularising and supporting use of EVs stand out amongst his initiatives in the automotive and road transport sector.
