India developing world-class infra at reduced cost, says Gadkari

New Delhi: India is developing world-class infrastructure and the focus is on reducing the construction cost without compromising quality, road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari said Friday. He added that the sharp focus on rapid infrastructure development will help India achieve goal of becoming a $5 trillion economy and third largest in the world.

Speaking at ET World Leaders Forum, Gadkari said his ministry is not just building roads but developing roadways and other modes of transportation that are clean and sustainable. "Our focus on development of a world-class road network will aid in economic development, give a fillip to tourism and generate employment and more revenues for govt," he added. The minister claimed that India's road network will be number one in the world in the coming years. He said India will achieve the target of bringing down logistics cost to single digit by year end because of rapid expansion of access-controlled e-ways, developing cost-effective and efficient public transport & development of alternate fuel such as biofuels & flex engines.

Quoting studies, he said India's logistics cost is down to 10% of total cost but will go down further to 9% by the year end, which will make Indian goods competitive globally.