Gadkari says 'there are no expiry dates for bridges in India', promises performance audit

Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday said that the Ministry had prepared the Indian Bridge Management System to know the condition and age of all the bridges across the country. He also added that the system will collect information about all the bridges of the country and the Centre will framework a policy to know the state of all the bridges. 

The Union Minister was speaking at the launch of the book "Building Bridges - Shaping the Future" written by Sachidanand Joshi and Vaibhav Dange, where he also added that the Centre is mulling over making use of stainless steel in bridges being built on the seaside. He said that this will help in increasing the strength and longevity of the bridges, as well as making them more secure.

Nitin Gadkari also talked about how the cost of bridges can be reduced.

"We have a span of 30 metre in India. There is a span of 45 meters in Malaysia. This reduces the cost of the bridge by 30-40 per cent," he said.

India to build multistorey road projects

Further talking about land acquisition problems, the Union Minister added that preparations are being made for a four-storey road project in Pune.

"Land acquisition is difficult in cities. There is a need to build three or four storey roads in the cities. A project has been made to run metro over a two-storey road in Nagpur. Similarly, preparations are being made for a four-storey road project in Pune," added the union minister.

Nitin Gadkari bats for Green Hydrogen as pilot project in Delhi

Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari on Monday said he would start using a vehicle that runs on green Hydrogen as a pilot project once he returns to New Delhi.

Addressing a gathering after inaugurating various infrastructural projects here in poll-bound Goa, Gadkari said, "Toyota Company from Japan has given me a vehicle which runs on green Hydrogen. I will use it myself as a pilot project (on alternative fuel)".

He also said that Indian Oil from Faridabad has assured to supply green Hydrogen for this vehicle.

(With ANI inputs)