Listing notable initiatives of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways which are environment friendly, Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Nitin Gadkari has stressed that the country needs development but there is a need to maintain ecology and environment, as well.
The Minister talked about the key features of green highways, and said that these highways work towards goals of reduction in greenhouse gas emission, carbon footprint, and the use of non-renewable energy sources. Besides, Gadkari said that a Green Highway Mission has been constituted in NHAI, where plantation has been carried out along the highways.
Further, the Minister said that the Ministry is looking at ways to reduce use of cement and steel in road and bridge construction and new technology is being adopted by which one can avoid use of steel and cement. He also said that waste to wealth and waste to energy is one of the important sustainable solutions to tackle environmental issues. He said that the Government is working on priority for public transportation system on electricity.