Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], April 26 (ANI): Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari, along with Union Minister of Coal and Mines G Kishan Reddy, will inaugurate and lay foundation stones for multiple development projects in Telangana on May 5.

The programmes are tentatively scheduled to be held in Adilabad and Hyderabad, where projects worth Rs 5,413 crores will be inaugurated and foundation stones will be laid.

The Adilabad leg of the programme covers the inauguration of 123 kilometres of roads worth Rs 3,694 crore, and foundation stones would be laid for 8.1 kilometres of new road projects valued at Rs 168.47 crore.

Similarly, in Hyderabad, the event will see the inauguration of 22.57 kilometres of roads worth Rs 895.64 crore and the laying of foundation stones for 20.87 kilometres of road works amounting to Rs 657.27 crore.

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has, in principle, agreed to declare the Hyderabad Regional Ring Road (Southern Portion) as a National Highway, subject to the State Government bearing 50 per cent of the land acquisition cost. The cost of construction is pegged at about Rs 13,000 Crore, and 50 per cent of the land acquisition cost is estimated at about Rs 2,230 Crore.

Additionally, G Kishan Reddy has requested early Public Private Partnership Appraisal Committee (PPPAC) and Cabinet approval of the project and signing of a financial tripartite agreement for 'Greenfield Regional Express Highway on Northern side of Hyderabad (HRRR-NP).'

Earlier on April 24, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways plans to launch a Safety assessment rating for trucks and commercial vehicles along the lines of the Bharat New Car Assessment Program (Bharat NCAP), the country's own four-wheel star rating system, said Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister for road transport and Highways, on Thursday.

'The idea is to encourage manufacturers to improve the production quality, making vehicles safer. Similarly, the government is already working on standards and a safety assessment system for battery-operated e-rickshaws in the country, as they suffer from safety issues. The safety improvement in e-rickshaws will improve their quality and generate more employment,' said Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, while inaugurating a two-day workshop on Vehicle and Fleet safety jointly organised by the New Car Assessment Program (GNCAP ) and the Institute of Road Traffic Education (IRTE).

The Bharat New Car Assessment Programme was launched by Gadkari in 2023 and aims to enhance road safety by elevating vehicle safety standards for up to 3.5-tonne vehicles in India.

'India accounts for the highest number of fatal road accidents, with 4.8 lakh road crashes each year resulting in 1.8 lakh deaths. The government's top priorities are road safety, expansion of safe highways, vehicle safety and bolstering electric vehicles. The ministry is also working on reducing logistics costs to 9 per cent in the next couple of years from the present 14-16 per cent, as the automobile industry plays a key role in India's economic growth,' said Gadkari. (ANI)