NDA government bats for Sethusamudram project

The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government is going ahead with the Sethusamudram Ship Canal Project (SSCP) and has surveyed a few alignments to ensure the safety of the Ram Sethu, the ancient underwater bridge, Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said on Tuesday.

According to the minister, he recently surveyed around four different alignments on a hovercraft and is studying an expert group's report on the matter.

The SSCP project, which envisages dredging a ship channel across the Palk Straits, providing a shorter navigational route for ships from east and west coasts of the country instead of circumventing Sri Lanka, has hit a wall after protests over the proposed demolition of the Ram Sethu.

The BJP-led Union government after winning the 2014 Lok Sabha elections and coming to power had made it clear that that Ram Sethu structure would not be demolished.

Incidentally, the Tamil Nadu government had opposed the project on the ground that it would affect the livelihood of fishermen.

Meanwhile, Gadkari said that he was pursuing the inland waterways project which will facilitate travel across various rivers in the times to come.

He added that concerned over around 5 lakh road accidents per year in which around 1.5 lakh persons die, the government will bring a bill to ensure safety and security of all vehicles.

The minister said: "We will bring a bill to amend the Motor Vehicles Act in the next session of Parliament."

Noting that it is relatively easier to obtain a driving licence in India and around 30 per cent driving licences are bogus, the minister said he will take steps to make the process transparent and corruption-free.

He also said that his ministry wanted the battery-operated rickshaws to replace those pedalled by humans.

Gadkari said efforts will be put in to impart training to rickshaw pullers and issue them licences so they can run the e-rickshaws.