Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari said the Government is expeditiously developing a national highway network of two lakh kilometres by 2025.

Addressing ICC’s annual session on Bharat@75 ‘Empowering India: Today for Tomorrow’, he said cutting-edge technology, innovations, and digitalisation would lead to all-inclusive and sustainable development.

Gadkari said construction of 65,000 km of national highways is being done under the Bharatmala Phase 1 and 2. He said there is a plan to develop around 35,000 km of highways under Bharatmala Phase-1 with an overall capital expenditure of over Rs 10 lakh crore, of which 20,000 km is already under construction.

Observing that India is becoming the largest EV market for electric two-wheelers, three-wheelers, and cars, the union minister said special efforts are being made to develop low-cost indigenous battery technologies.

Stating that startups and new entrants in the EV industry are performing well over traditional auto players, he said that with greater participation from the private sector and increased government spending, opportunities for investors in the country’s supply chain are increasing.

Gadkari said that under the green highway mission, the Government is carrying out tree plantation and transplantation along the National Highways, where larger participation of the local communities, farmers, NGOs, and private sector is expected.

He added that by utilising the benefits of enormous investment in infrastructure, the private sector could invest in building logistics parks, smart cities, and industrial parks along the corridor.