Delhi : Prosperity and progress of a country follows the development of its roads, said Shri Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister for Road Transport and Rural Development, in his inaugural address during the “India PPP Summit 2014” organised by FICCI today. The minister said that the government will focus on ‘cooperation, coordination and communication’ and will fast track decisions in infrastructure projects.
The minister said that a ‘Bank of Ideas and Innovation’ will be made operational in August, wherein the private sector can chip in with new ideas as to how to go about in infrastructure development. He further added that the government is thinking about post qualification of financial bids in PPP projects which will add to transparency in the PPP framework. The minister urged the private sector not to cut down trees but instead go for transplantation, using latest technologies. He underlined the need of adopting international best practices in construction as it will reduce the cost of construction and thus make projects financially more viable.
The minister further added that all pending issues in National Highways development projects currently underway, will be resolved, positively by August 15.