India holds world record for fastest road construction: Nitin Gadkari

With the construction of a 2.5 km 4-lane concrete road and a 1-lane 25-km bitumen Solapur-Bijapur road within 24 hrs, India has made three world records, said Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari on Friday.

"We made three world records this month. India now holds the world record for the fastest road construction. We made it to the Guinness World Records by building a 2.5 km 4-lane concrete road within 24 hours and a 1-lane 25-km bitumen Solapur-Bijapur road within 24 hours," Gadkari said while inaugurating the Tedhi Pulia flyover and laying the foundation stone for the Khuram Nagar flyover in Lucknow.

He further said that the politics of the 21st century is that of progress and the government will build infrastructure worth Rs 111 lakh crore in the next five years.

"21st-century politics is that of progress. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has resolved to make an 'Atmrbhar Bharat'. He gave us a mission to make self-reliant India have a USD 5 trillion economy. We have to build an infrastructure of Rs 111 Lakh crores in 5 yrs and I have the responsibility of the road sector," he said.

Earlier on Thursday, the ministry of road, transport and highways (MoRTH) in a statement informed that the construction of National Highways had touched a record 37 kilometres per day in the year 2020-21.

"The ministry has achieved the record-breaking milestone of constructing 37 kilometres highways per day in the year 2020-21, which is unprecedented," it said.

It further said that over the last seven years, the length of National Highways has gone up by 50 per cent from 91,287 km as of April 2014 to 1,37,625 km as on March 20, 2021.

"This would not have been possible without the dedication and teamwork of the officials and other stakeholders. These achievements are unprecedented and have no parallel in any other country in the world," Gadkari had said.

( With inputs from ANI )