New Delhi: Pacts are on the anvil between the Centre and states to use their sand in highways construction in lieu of dredging of their rivers, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said on Thursday.
Chief Ministers of many states are on board with the decision, Gadkari told reporters on the sidelines of a programme here.
"We will sign support agreements with states for dredging of their rivers for Inland Waterways. NHAI contractors will do dredging and we will use sand in our road construction without cost. Excess sand will be used by states or auctioned. This will expedite highways construction," he said.
Gadkari said similar support agreements are being signed for expediting highways construction.
"We are trying to build up capacity to construct 100 kilometres of roads a day. We want to build more than 10,000 kilometres of roads in a year. This is difficult but not impossible. This is not a commitment but a target," he added.
He further said that the Maharashtra government is preparing a detailed project report (DPR) for 7,000 kilometres while Jharkhand has been assigned the task to prepare DPR for 3,000 kilometres.
"Telangana is preparing DPR for 2,000 kms," he said.
While building roads, the Ministry is equally concerned and reports were likely soon how to bury heaps of garbage under roads to be constructed to get rid of the pollution problem, Gadkari said.
"Technical reports in this regard are yet to come. We are very much sensitive about the environment. We will minimise air and water pollution," he added.
The government has taken a number of steps to reduce cost of construction and improve its quality including building of concrete roads for which 95 lakh tonne cement has already been booked for three years, Gadkari said.
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