Ministry plans to set up an NHA international arm that can develop regional infrastructure

Inland waterways will not only offer economical transportation of passengers and bulk cargo between different parts of India but could also facilitate greater trade flows with the neighbouring countries like Bangladesh. Stating this in his address in the Special Plenary Session of the South Asia Economic Conclave, organised in New Delhi by Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) in cooperation with the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India and The World Bank, Mr Nitin Gadkari, Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Government of India, said that the ministry is working towards establishing a ‘waterport’ – a waterways port – in Sahibganj in the state of Jharkhand that will accelerate import and export of goods between India and Bangladesh.

Mr Gadkari said that the Government has planned for establishing multi-modal hubs in Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, Sahibganj, and Haldia in West Bengal. He also said that the tonnage of barges for these waterways will be enhanced through special design to handle larger volumes of passenger traffic and cargo.

Stating that the use of inland waterways will bring down the logistics costs for industry, he said that profits accrued from the Indian ports and Shipping Corporation of India will be channelled for inland waterways development. He mentioned that Indian ports have become profitable once again and that he has mandated the ports management to be benchmarked with the best managed and profitable ports globally.

Speaking about the roads and highways development in the country, Mr Gadkari said that his ministry plans to set up an NHA International arm that will drive roads and highways projects development to connect the neighbouring countries. The international arm could also extend its expertise to the South Asian countries for the development of roads, highways, expressways, bridges, etc.

He also mentioned about the initiative that was taken to develop a lower-cost lithium ion battery for buses. Mr Gadkari has worked closely with the Indian Space Research Organisation to promote this R&D. Through this effort the cost of lithium ion battery to run buses has been brought down from around Rs 55 lakh to Rs 5 lakh. He said that once this battery manufacturing is fully developed, the solution could be shared with the South Asian countries.

He also referred to how his ministry is taking the PPP route to undertake major highways and expressways project development, although he said that to get success and to achieve efficient results, the administrative system would have to be streamlined.  

Mr Sunil Kant Munjal, Chairman – Steering Committee, South Asia Economic Conclave, Past President, CII and Chairman, Hero Corporate Services, while making the concluding remarks said the roads infrastructure network that connects the South Asian countries has paved the way for a planned car rally that will be conducted across the South Asian region. CII has in the past organised car rallies that went all the way from India to Indonesia.

Mr Chandrajit Banerjee, Director General, CII, in his opening remarks underscored the importance of physical infrastructure development across the South Asian region in promoting people-to-people contacts between the South Asian societies. 

New Delhi
30th September 2015