Soon, Fly to Taj Mahal from Delhi in 15 Minutes on a Water Plane: Nitin Gadkari Announces At Republic Plenary Summit

Nitin Gadkari at Republic Plenary Summit 2025 LIVE:  Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari has announced that India will soon introduce water airplanes, significantly reducing travel time for passengers. Speaking at the Republic Media Plenary Summit 2025, he outlined several major infrastructure projects aimed at improving transportation efficiency and boosting economic growth.  

Water Airplanes to Reduce Travel Time  

Gadkari shared his long-standing vision for water airplanes and revealed discussions with SpiceJet Chairman Ajay Singh. "I had a dream that water airplanes should start in India. Yesterday, I spoke to Ajay Singh of SpiceJet—he is planning to buy 100 water planes. Soon, these planes will land on water in our country," he said.  

Explaining the impact of these water airplanes, he gave an example of a new travel route, "If you take off from the Yamuna in Delhi, you can reach the Taj Mahal in just 15 minutes. You can visit the monument and return to Delhi the same day."  

India’s Push for Green Energy  

Gadkari underscored the importance of renewable energy in India’s development and how the current regime has focused on infrastructure development with use to green power. “Today, in terms of power, we have prioritized green energy. Solar power is the most important part of this. At one point, the cost of solar power was ₹6 per unit. Today, it has come down to ₹2.40 per unit. In our power basket, 42% of our energy comes from green sources. By 2070, we expect to generate the majority of our electricity from green energy, supporting India's development goals, Minister said.

He also emphasized the importance of wind and hydroelectric power. “Wind power is also crucial, and hydroelectric projects in Northeast states like Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh , which were previously stuck, have now gained momentum under our government. We are now generating a significant amount of hydro power. Today, India has surplus power for its development needs," he added. 

Better Water Management to End Shortages  

Gadkari stressed that India does not have a water shortage but rather a mismanagement of its water resources. He pointed out the massive potential of water conservation projects.  

“When I was Water Resources Minister, we initiated the Polavaram Project in Andhra Pradesh. This is a major dam being constructed with 75% of the funding from the Indian government. Right now, 1,300 million cubic meters of water flow into the sea. If we can stop this water and use it properly, we can make our country ‘Sujlam Suflam’ (rich in water and prosperity)," Gadkari mentioned. 

He also addressed the long-standing water disputes between Indian states. “States used to fight over water resources. I personally resolved more than 17 inter-state water disputes, including those between Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh , and Jammu & Kashmir. By 2070, Delhi will no longer face water shortages, " Gadkari said at the summit. 

He also mentioned about the Ken-Betwa Project, which aims to control floods and protect regions like Bihar , West Bengal, and Odisha from flood-related damages.  

"Water utilization is crucial. Daudte paani ko chalne ke liye lagao, chalne wale paani ko rukne ke liye lagao, aur ruke hue paani ko zameen ke peene ke liye lagao."

Air Bus from Dhaula Kaun to Manesar: Nitin Gadkari 

Gadkari highlighted the government’s efforts to improve public transport, revealing an ambitious new project. "We are researching advanced public transport solutions, including an airbus service from Dhaula Kuan to Manesar. Efficient public transport is key to reducing congestion and improving travel times."  

Major Upcoming Infrastructure Projects  

Gadkari revealed that new highway projects would drastically cut travel time on key routes:  
- Delhi to Jaipur in two hours  
- Delhi to Amritsar in four hours  
- Delhi to Dehradun in two hours  
- Mumbai to Bengaluru in five hours  

He also mentioned the construction of highways worth ₹6 lakh crore from Varanasi to Kolkata and the completion of 35 out of 156 tunnels in Jammu and Kashmir. He highlighted how the Atal Tunnel had transformed travel, reducing the time from Manali to Rohtang to just eight minutes.  

The Republic Plenary Summit 2025, India’s biggest and most influential news event, is live, bringing together the brightest minds to shape the future of a Limitless India—an India of infinite potential, innovation, and global leadership. With Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the chief guest, the summit opened with a ceremonial lamp lighting by Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, setting the stage for transformative discussions. 

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