NEW DELHI: Union road transport minister Nitin Gadkari on Friday said that two stretches of Delhi-Dehradun Expressway, falling in the national capital, will be inaugurated in the next 15-20 days with one more leg of the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway too likely to be opened soon.
“We have invited the PM to inaugurate the first two packages of Delhi-Dehradun Expressway from Akshardham side. We are trying to complete the entire Delhi-Dehradun Expressway in the next three months. Taking the expressway, people can reach Dehradun in just 2-2.5 hours,” Gadkari said at Times Network India Economic Conclave.
He added that the greenfield elevated stretch of Delhi-Mumbai Expressway passing through Kalindi Kunj costing Rs 10,000 crore, which extends up to Faridabad, will also be ready soon. These are part of the Rs 60,000 crore investment by Centre to improve highway connectivity in Delhi-NCR.
The minister said govt is building 36 greenfield expressways and highways and expanding the road network to bring down the logistics cost to single digit in the next two years, which will push India’s exports by 1.5 times and become more competitive.
In response to a question on Congress neta and leader of opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi’s demand for caste census and formula of ‘Jiski Jitni Sankhya Baree, Uski Utni Hissedari’, Gadkari said, “We must get rid of untouchability and casteism. There should be equitable development and justice for all. But now the problem is – backwardness is becoming a matter of political interest. Everyone wants to prove that he is backward. Political parties should rise above this and work for the poor irrespective of caste. We should work for the poor, farmers, youth, empowerment of women and to strengthen our economy.”
The minister said those who can’t win people’s hearts by their work, they try to win elections by using caste. Gadkari said such leaders usually end up seeking tickets for their family members and kin.