Under PM Modi, Indian road network has grown bigger than that of US: Gadkari

Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, the road network in India has grown bigger than that of the US, Union Road Transport and Highways Minister, Nitin Gadkari said on Friday.

Addressing an event to inaugurate two projects – Munshi Pulia flyover and Khurram Nagar flyover, Union Minister Gadkari said, “I can guarantee that in two years, Uttar Pradesh's National Highway network will be better than that of the US.”

Announcing approval for highway projects worth crores of rupees in Uttar Pradesh (UP), Union Minister Gadkari said there was no shortage of funds in the country but what was needed was leaders with honesty and integrity.

“PM Modi has the dream of making India a 'Vishwa Guru' and the third-largest economy of the world. For this, we will need a big infrastructure push that will attract investment and create jobs,” he said, adding that the government is determined to bring down the logistics cost to 9 per cent that will increase Indian exports 1.5 times.

“Today India and UP are changing and the state is becoming a growth engine for the country. I wish that before the end of my five-year term as minister, I manage to execute highway projects worth Rs 5 lakh crore – so far I have managed to execute projects worth only Rs 3.5 lakh crore,” he said.

Assuring that there would be no shortage of funds for UP's highway network expansion, he said as a minister he has handled projects worth Rs 50 lakh crore till now and there is no wrongdoing worth even a single penny.

He said PM Modi wants UP to become a growth engine and its exports should also grow one-and-half-times.

“Infrastructure growth is key to UP's prosperity, and we all are committed to making it an ideal state. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has already established 'Ram Rajya' by improving the law and order situation,” he said.

"With the industrial investment attracted by the UP CM and the work done for farmers, there is no doubt that the state no more features among the underdeveloped BIMARU states of the country," he said.