Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, emphasized the need to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and focus on developing sustainable and innovative technologies to drive India’s construction and infrastructure sectors.
Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the four-day international trade show, Bauma CONEXPO INDIA 2024, held at the India Expo Centre in Greater Noida on Wednesday, Gadkari urged industry leaders to prioritize alternative fuels, research and development, and cost-effective solutions to position India as a global leader in construction equipment manufacturing.
In his address, Gadkari stressed the importance of cutting down India’s annual expenditure of ₹22 lakh crore on fossil fuels and highlighted the environmental challenges faced by the construction and transport industries. He encouraged the adoption of technologies such as ethanol, methanol, CNG, LNG, electric, and hydrogen, and urged manufacturers to focus on creating solutions that are indigenous, pollution-free, and reduce imports. “The future lies in converting knowledge into wealth. The industry must embrace innovation, invest in R&D, and produce globally competitive products,” he stated.
Gadkari also spoke about India’s booming infrastructure sector, with ₹70 lakh crore worth of projects in the pipeline and annual road construction expenditures reaching ₹5 lakh crore. He pointed out that improving infrastructure could help reduce logistics costs to 9%, thereby boosting India’s global competitiveness.
After his speech, the minister inaugurated Bauma CONEXPO INDIA 2024 by lighting the ceremonial lamp and unveiling the exhibition catalogue. The event included a ribbon-cutting ceremony and a VIP tour of the expo, where attendees explored cutting-edge machinery, sustainable technologies, and live demonstrations of next-generation construction equipment.
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