Making a strong pitch for development of inland waterways on a par with the wide road network in the country, Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Shipping Nitin Gadkari said a plan is on the anvil to convert a total of 101 rivers including the Godavari into waterways across the country soon.
A Bill on inland waterways development aimed at promoting the low-cost mode of transport would be passed in the Parliament shortly, Mr Gadkari said, adding that the plan envisages taking up works worth Rs. 5 lakh crore for development of inland waterways in the country in the next ten years.
He was speaking at a public meeting held at V M Banjara in Penuballi mandal on Wednesday after formally inaugurating works of upgradation of 49.80-km stretch of Andhra Pradesh/Telangana border-Rudrampur section of National Highway 221 (New NH 30) in Telangana State.
Earlier, he laid the foundation stone for the new high level bridge of 1.20 km length and 12 metres width across the Godavari in Bhadrachalam. He formally launched the works of upgradation of a 44-km road stretch of Rudrampur-Bhadrachalam section of the NH 221 in the temple town. In all, Mr Gadkari inaugurated works worth around Rs. 638 crore taken up under the NHDP-IV in the EPC mode in the district. Union Minister of State for Labour Bandaru Dattatreya accompanied Mr. Gadkari.
Addressing the gathering at V M Banjara, Mr Gadkari assured to set up a dry port in Khammam district as sought by local elected representatives considering its geographical proximity with the Kakinada port in Andhra Pradesh. The Suryapet-Devarapalli State highway will be converted into National Highway and the Sattupalli-Kothagudem two-lane road will be widened into four-lane facility, Mr Gadkari said.
On the plea for expanding the national highway network in Telangana State, the Union Minister said he would convene a meeting in Delhi in a fortnight to look into the proposals for prompt action. Stating that the durable cement concrete will be used for highway projects, Mr Gadkari said cement to the tune of 95 lakh tonnes had been booked at a low rate from 107 factories for this purpose. The Telangana State government could make use of the cement for its ongoing development works, he suggested.
Mr. Dattreya, BJP State president G. Kishan Reddy, Minister for Roads & Buildings T. Nageswara Rao, Khammam Member of Parliament P. Srinivas Reddy, Sattupalli MLA S. Venkata Veeraiah and others spoke.
