Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Thursday said roads in India would be better than those in the United States of America by the end of 2024 under the Narendra Modi government.
He was speaking after inaugurating the first phase of a bridge on Zuari river, which is expected to improve connectivity between the North and South districts of Goa.
Asserting that road infrastructure was being created at a rapid pace in the country now, he said, "We have decided that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, before the end of the year 2024, India's road infrastructure will be better than that of America."
The commissioning of the Manohar International Airport in Mopa earlier this month will pave the way for Goa to become the number one state in the country, he added.
Mr Gadkari also said his plans to start a water taxi system in Goa failed due to non-cooperation of the state's Captain of Ports office.
"The strength of Goa is in its ports and the plan was to connect ports with the airport by water taxi. Such a project would have saved Goa from pollution. The state, like water and air pollution, must also take care to curb sound pollution," he said.
Elaborating on his plans to reduce sound pollution, the Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways said he was contemplating the possibility of replacing the "blaring" sound of vehicle horns with soothing music.
Speaking about the new Zuari bridge, Mr Gadkari said it would have a revolving restaurant and viewers gallery on a tower.
"The state government had issued tenders for the project twice but could not get any response from bidders. I will help the state government on how to go ahead with this project," Mr Gadkari said.
Among those who were present for the bridge inauguration were Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and Union Minister Shripad Naik.
Mr Gadkari also inaugurated the approach roads to the bridge from Bambolim to Verna villages.
As per the state government, this will be India's widest cable-stayed bridge when completed.
The bridge is part of a Rs 2,530 crore project covering a distance of 13.2 kilometres between Bambolim and Verna villages.
Constructor Dilip Buildcon Limited has said the entire the entire eight-lane project will be completed by April, 2023.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
