We are going to bring in a policy to promote use of alternative fuel: Gadkari

The Dollar Business Bureau

With a view to bringing down logistics cost and pollution levels, the Government has decided to bring a policy for promoting the use of alternative fuel, Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said on Thursday, while adding that the logistics cost is quite high in India when compared to China and European countries.

“We are going to bring in a policy to promote use of alternative fuel which is indigenous and pollution free as it will help in saving lot of time, bring down logistics cost by 4-6% which is currently about 14-18% unlike in China where it is 10-12% and in European countries where it is 12-14%,” Gadkari said, while inaugurating an event organized by ASSOCHAM in New Delhi.

The minister further said that the government has decided to implement and adopt in totality the automobile norms in developed nations.

“Yesterday itself we have decided to appoint a consultant to study all automobile standards for both fuel and vehicles in countries like Germany, France, UK, Sweden and implement it on the same lines in India,” he said.

Speaking about the scope and need for reforms in India’s logistics sector, he said that though the country has an overall road length of around 52 lakh km, out of that the length of national highways accounted for just 96,000 km.

“About 40% of country’s total traffic was plying on 2% roads thereby leading to problems like increase in pollution and accidents,” he added.

“We had thus decided to increase the national highways’ length to 2 lakh km and I am pleased to inform that till date we have declared 1.75 lakh km of road-length as national highway and in next three years we plan to shift 80-85% of country’s total traffic on 4% of national highways,” the Road Transport and Highways Minister added. 

Highlighting some of the initiatives taken up by the current Government, the Minister said that while cement-concrete roads are being constructed, they are also being widened so that heavy 20-30 tonne trucks can ply on the same. Besides, efforts are being made to shift logistics parks out of town.

“All these initiatives are focussed on cutting down the pollution levels, bringing down costs, to promote industrial development, create employment, boost exports and augment economic growth,” he added.

The Union Minister further stated that the Government is looking towards promoting the use of cost-effective, import substitute, pollution free and indigenous technology as such thrust is being laid upon the use of electric vehicles and green fuel like ethanol.

“We are looking into the successful practices employed internationally and willing to adopt the same, besides we are also willing to reform our technology and think out of the box,” he added. 

Gadkari mentioned that the Government’s priority is also to improve the condition and promote the use of public transport.

“We are planning to start double-decker, air-conditioned, executive-class bus services connecting metro cities like Delhi-Jaipur, Delhi-Chandigarh, Delhi-Shimla, Delhi-Ludhiana and others,” he said.

“Providing strong electric public transport across the country is one of our dreams and we are constantly working on the same by bringing new and innovative models, accepting fuel standards and changing automobile related laws,” he added.