Exploring possibilities to build concrete roads in natural calamity prone areas: Gadkari

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways plans to appoint an expert committee and establish a new section in the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to investigate the feasibility of constructing concrete roads in areas prone to natural calamities. This decision comes in the wake of multiple bridge and highway collapses caused by heavy rainfall across the country.

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari emphasized the importance of developing infrastructure with international standards in these vulnerable regions to withstand heavy rains and landslides. The cost-effectiveness of building concrete roads, considering the fluctuations in cement prices, will also be studied. Collaboration with the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) will facilitate the research and development process.

As some states, including Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, have experienced significant rainfall, the Ministry has pledged to provide ₹300 crore for the reconstruction of damaged roads and bridges connected to national highways in Himachal Pradesh.