The government is looking to construct about 16,000 km of new highways using cement and concrete rather than the bitumen conventionally used.
“It will be appropriate to look at building cement, concrete expressways,” surface transport and highways minister Kamal Nath said. “These could be used for the new and upcoming highway projects. He was speaking on the sidelines of a seminar organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry on Thursday.
He said concrete can also be used where wear and tear of roads is high, though not in high altitude regions, and where bitumen roads are already in use.
Road transport and highways secretary Brahm Dutt said the government would implement its green field (new) project of building 16,000 km of expressways at an investment of $ 100 billion (Rs 4,60,000 crore) once sufficient progress is made in the on going national highways projects.Few burns for Wall St bankers on hot seats.