Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari on Saturday (July 11) called for greater cooperation among BRICS nations to address transport challenges, including infrastructure financing, congestion, emissions, road safety and last-mile connectivity, while outlining India’s infrastructure and mobility initiatives at the 3rd BRICS Transport Ministers’ Meeting in Nagpur.Addressing ministers and delegates from BRICS member countries, Gadkari said the grouping, which represents nearly half of the world’s population, could play a larger role in developing transport systems through cooperation in innovation, technology and sustainable infrastructure. He said India was ready to expand collaboration through knowledge sharing, capacity building, joint research and technological partnerships in areas such as green hydrogen, electric mobility, alternative fuels, digital transport systems and multimodal infrastructure.
India outlines transport infrastructure initiatives
Gadkari highlighted India’s infrastructure programmes across roads, railways, shipping and aviation. He said the country has the world’s second-largest road network and referred to projects including the Delhi-Dehradun Economic Corridor, the Sonamarg Tunnel and more than 10,000 km of greenfield expressways. He also cited the Hybrid Annuity Model as a mechanism to attract private investment in infrastructure.The minister said the rail network has seen near-complete electrification of the broad-gauge network, expansion of Vande Bharat services, progress on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail corridor and construction of the new Pamban Bridge. He also referred to the Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047, digital platforms such as e-Navik and e-Samudra, and the Green Shipping initiative.Also read: Union Minister Vaishnaw urges IT industry to capitalise on global semiconductor talent shortageFocus on safety and sustainabilityGadkari said the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan has integrated infrastructure planning across transport modes to reduce logistics costs and speed up project implementation. He also highlighted the deployment of electric buses, the Green Urban Mobility Scheme and the UDAN regional connectivity programme.On road safety, he referred to the PM-RAHAT scheme, which provides cashless treatment for road accident victims. He also said materials including recycled plastic waste, municipal waste, fly ash, steel slag, bamboo crash barriers and end-of-life tyres are being used in road construction as part of the government’s infrastructure strategy.Gadkari said discussions at the BRICS meeting would help strengthen transport cooperation among member countries and support efforts to improve regional connectivity and sustainable transport systems.
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