Govt focused on reducing road construction costs without lowering quality: Gadkari

• Gadkari urged the industry to increase the use of plastic and rubber wastes in road construction

• 'We are open-minded, transparent, time-bound, result-oriented, and committed to quality. Come and convince us and we are ready to give you permissions,' said the minister

New Delhi: Nitin Gadkari, Minister of Road Transport & Highways and MSME, said on Thursday that the policy of the government is to ensure reduction in construction costs and improving the quality of road construction. Addressing the two-day Virtual Conference and Exhibition for the Bitumen and Road Construction, 'BITU-CON 2020', organised by FICCI, Gadkari said, "We need to reduce the construction cost and improve quality without compromising on it. We are working on it but more needs to be done." 

'Industry should use plastic and rubber wastes in road construction'

He also urged the industry to increase the use of plastic and rubber wastes in road construction, which is also necessary as it helps the environment. Apart from this, the use of waste products like oil slags from steel plants and flash should also be encouraged. "Industry should also use local produce, like jute or coir, and waste products in road construction, which not only increases the life of the road but also gives a better riding experience. We will come up with a pattern design system for precast," said Gadkari. 

Elaborating on the use of technology, Gadkari also asked the industry to adopt world-class technologies in road construction. He further suggested the industry to come up with a plan with a 10-year Defect Liability period for constructing bitumen roads, which currently is for five years. "If the industry comes up with the world's best technology and 10-year defect liability period, the government will then fully support and ensure that all benefits are given to you (the industry)," he said. 

Gadkari assures industry of full support

Assuring the industry of full government support, Gadkari said, "We are open-minded, transparent, time-bound, result-oriented, and committed to quality. Come and convince us and we are ready to give you permissions." He emphasised that if we improve on the quality then the share of bitumen roads will increase from gram panchayats to district roads, state highways, and national highways and we must encourage this. 

Gadkari further stated that despite COVID-19, the government has been constructing roads at 30 km per day and speedily awarding the contracts as well. "Our speed has increased during COVID-19, instead of reducing," he added. 

'Growing demand for infrastructure will drive bitumen market'

BVN Rao, Chair, FICCI Transport Infrastructure Committee and Business Chairman (Transport & Urban Infra), GMR Group said that India's road infrastructure has seen consistent improvement in the last few years. He said that connectivity has improved, and road transportation has become a focus of rapid development. "The growing demand for infrastructure in the country will majorly drive the Indian bitumen market," he added. 

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Shailesh Pathak, Co-Chair, FICCI Transport Infrastructure Committee and CEO, L&T Infrastructure Development Projects Ltd said that concrete road with bitumen surfacing or bitumen road with a 10-year Defect Liability will be encouraged. "It is both a challenge and an opportunity for us to reduce costs while improving quality," he added.

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