'Parvatmala' project announced in union budget great gift for hill states, says Gadkari

The National Ropeways Development Programme, 'Parvatmala' announced in union budget is "a great gift" for hill states, Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said on Tuesday and noted that it will provide pollution-free transport and help create jobs.

He said Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has prioritised infrastructure in the 2022-23 budget and this will lead to the creation of jobs.

"As far as the infrastructure is concerned, I am happy that new national highways will be built. I got an opportunity to work on the Bharatmala and Sagarmala projects, and now Parvatmala. As part of this initiative which comprises of ropeway, cable car, vernacular railway, we will start eight new projects. This initiative in my ministry is a great gift for hilly areas and will create jobs," Gadkari told ANI.

"This will enhance transport connectivity in these areas and it will be pollution-free transport. The hilly regions have hydropower so this project will go on a low-cost, electric power basis and will benefit people a lot. The expansion of infrastructure will generate more employment and will help in building a 'New India'. Unless the infrastructure is developed, the employment potential does not get enhanced. Keeping this in mind, the Union Finance Minister has prioritised infrastructure in the budget," he said.

Gadkari said the budget will take the country towards 'green environment' and reduce water and air pollution.

"This budget promotes Prime Minister Narendra Modi's idea of building 'New India'. I am confident that India's villages, aspirational districts and tribal areas, the budget will raise the speed of development and will take India towards 'Aatmanirbharta'," he said.

He said the government's policies have laid thrust on innovation, research and boosting start-ups and boosting the income of weaker sections.

"How India's growth can be enhanced, how can the exports increase, how can the agriculture, tribal and rural sectors progress, all these things have been kept in mind while formulating policies," Gadkari said.

Sitharaman said in her budget speech that National Ropeways Development Programme will be taken up on PPP mode as a preferred ecologically sustainable alternative to conventional roads in difficult hilly areas.

"The aim is to improve connectivity and convenience for commuters, besides promoting tourism. This may also cover congested urban areas, where a conventional mass transit system is not feasible. Contracts for eight ropeway projects for a length of 60 km will be awarded in 2022-23," she said.

Sitharaman said PM GatiShakti Master Plan for Expressways will be formulated in 2022-23 to facilitate faster movement of people and goods. The National Highways network will be expanded by 25,000 km in 2022-23 and Rs 20,000 crore will be mobilized through innovative ways of financing to complement the public resources.

She said innovative ways of financing and faster implementation will be encouraged for building metro systems of appropriate type at scale. Multimodal connectivity between mass urban transport and railway stations will be facilitated on priority. The design of metro systems, including civil structures, will be re-oriented and standardized for Indian conditions and needs.

The Finance Minister said that the government will promote a shift to the use of public transport in urban areas.

"This will be complemented by cleantech and governance solutions, special mobility zones with zero fossil-fuel policy, and EV vehicles," the minister said.

She said considering the constraint of space in urban areas for setting up charging stations at scale, a battery swapping policy will be brought out and inter-operability standards will be formulated.

"The private sector will be encouraged to develop sustainable and innovative business models for 'Battery or Energy as a Service'. This will improve efficiency in the EV ecosystem," he said.

( With inputs from ANI )

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