Lucknow, October 8. The 81st session of the Indian Road Congress (IRC 2022) was inaugurated at Indira Gandhi Pratishthan on Saturday. 2500 representatives of national and international companies related to road construction are participating in this convention being organized from 8 to 11 October. The program was inaugurated by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, in which Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari attended as the chief guest. Uttar Pradesh is hosting the IRC for the fifth time. In his presidential address, the Chief Minister, while discussing the important changes in the road infrastructure sector in the last five and a half years in Uttar Pradesh, said that wherever you enter UP today, you will get four-lane roads.
UP is moving ahead in the field of infrastructure with the inspiration of the Prime Minister
Addressing the inaugural session of the Indian Road Congress organized by the Uttar Pradesh Public Works Department, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that in the nectar of independence, Uttar Pradesh has been elected for the 81st session, I thank all of you for this. The strength and confidence with which Nitin Gadkari focused on infrastructure development under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is today seen as a model. We started work in UP by taking inspiration from the way the country has progressed in the field of road infrastructure in the last eight and a half years. We realized that if the income of 25 crore people has to increase manifold, then we have to focus on infrastructure. On that basis, we proceeded with our programs. For infrastructure, we focused on interstate connectivity the most.
Infrastructure is the back bone of the economy
The Chief Minister emphasized that today for industrial investment, it is necessary that we not only provide better law and order, but also our administrative machinery should take timely decisions and carry forward the activity of Ease of Doing Business. Along with this, we should also do the work of laying a network of world class expressways by focusing on infrastructure, because infrastructure is the back bone of any economy. If the economy is to be boosted, then good infrastructure is its first condition.
We don’t stop or bow down in front of Corona
I am happy to inform that the government has done the work of connecting its two backward regions Purvanchal and Bundelkhand with world class expressway even during the time of corona pandemic. We did not stop and did not bow down in front of Corona. Apart from this, the Delhi Meerut 12 lane expressway was not only built but also dedicated to the nation. Along with this, today UP is the most successful state to implement FDR technology. Our rural roads are being built with this technology. With this we are building more sustainable roads at a third less cost.
Don’t be a fanatic
Addressing the road technical experts who came to the convention, the Chief Minister said that our society is supposed to worship Lord Vishwakarma, but when it comes to technology, we often look to other countries. We should brainstorm on this. Our technical experts are sometimes stereotypes. We have to emerge from it and be ready to think afresh and adapt ourselves to the new situation.
Uttar Pradesh will give medal for innovative idea in road infrastructure
The Chief Minister announced to award medals annually on behalf of Uttar Pradesh for innovative ideas in road infrastructure from the dais of the Indian Road Congress convention. He said that every year IRC through its convention issues some of its medals for innovative ideas in road infrastructure. I hereby announce to award the UP Medal for Innovative Technology in Road Technology and Infrastructure. I will ask IRC to issue it every year on behalf of the UP government, whatever the cost for this will be borne by the UP government.
Engineers must definitely brainstorm on road safety
Speaking on the issue of road safety, the Chief Minister said that every year many people lose their lives due to wrong engineering. There have been about 23,600 deaths inside UP during an epidemic like Corona, but if we talk about road accidents, then 20 thousand deaths are taking place every year. These deaths are the biggest challenge before us. I want all of you technical experts to brainstorm on how we can reduce road accidents by using technology in this session of the Indian Road Congress, which runs for the next three days.