Union Minister Nitin Gadkari wants to use highways to create lakes under mission Amrit Sarovar

Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, stated that his ministry can address the country's water woes. The 'Mission Amrit Sarovar' was launched on April 24, 2022, as part of the celebration of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, with the goal of conserving water for the future. The Ministry of Rural Development launched the Mission with the goal of developing and revitalising 75 water bodies in each district of the country. The two-day event, themed 'Ideas to Action-Towards a Smart, Sustainable Road Infra, Mobility, and Logistics Ecosystem,' is attended by ministers and officials from the Centre and states. 

"You all know that the Centre has come up with the 'Amrit Sarovar' scheme. The road, transport, and highway ministry can do great work in addressing the water woes," he said during the 'Manthan' programme under the 'Bharatmala' series here.

Noting that he comes from the Vidarbha region, where thousands of farmers had died by suicide over the years, Gadkari said one of the reasons for the agrarian crisis was water scarcity. "There is a water crisis in many places. There is no dearth of water but water management (is an issue). We can use our highways for building lakes," the minister said.

He said building highways requires soil, which can be obtained so that new water bodies can be formed. This will not only fulfill the road construction requirement but also provide new lakes in rural areas, which will eventually increase the groundwater table, Gadkari said.

He cited an example where a university got 36 lakes and nearby villages 22 wells due to a project executed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).
Gadkari said such innovative measures will reduce project costs and help many others.

He appealed to the ministers and officials of the Centre and States to work on minimising project costs. The minister emphasised upon building durable roads and asked the states to go for the concrete road, which can last for at least 25 years.