“Electric highways are very economically viable,” says Nitin Gadkari. (File)
New Delhi:
The government is working on developing electric highways as they are economically viable, Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said on Wednesday.
Nitin Gadkari has previously said that building India’s first electric highway between Delhi and Jaipur is his dream.
“My idea about the electric highway is that NHAI will give priority… Today I had a discussion with the Power Ministry, I am trying to get electricity at the rate of Rs 3.50 per unit, otherwise the commercial power rate is Rs 11 per unit ,” said Nitin Gadkari at the annual ACMA session here.
The minister noted that it is easy for the energy ministry to supply electricity to a government company at a cheaper rate.
“Electric highway is very economically viable… I will give all rights to private sector investors who are going to invest (in the electric highway project),” he added.
Nitin Gadkari further said that the laying of electric cables will be done by private investors and NHAI will charge electricity tariff like toll.
Electric highways provide electric traction for vehicles in the same way they do for railways. This is based on the prevailing technology in many countries, such as Sweden and Norway.
This includes the supply of power cables, which can be used by a vehicle suitable for this type of technology. The vehicle will use the force of this cable for its traction. The ministry is currently evaluating various technologies.
“We are undertaking the first pilot project of electric highways in Nagpur,” he said.
The minister also pointed out that India is the fastest growing major economy and the auto sector is the pride of India.
According to Nitin Gadkari, the size of the auto industry currently stands at Rs 12.50 lakh crore, compared to Rs 4.15 lakh crore in 2014, when he took charge as road transport and highways minister.
Noting that fossil fuel imports are continuously increasing, he said it is time for the country to find a solution to this crisis.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by DailyExpertNews staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
