Mumbai, Aug 25(India Today): Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari today expressed his frustration over the delay in getting permissions for the operation of his brain child project, an amphibious bus in Mumbai saying that he wanted to sink the bus in the Arabian Sea. He also said that he felt ashamed as a minister when he travelled to Pen near Mumbai because of the potholes filled road.
Gadkari was visibly upset when asked when the amphibious bus service would start in Mumbai. The exasperated minister said, "I want to sink the amphibious bus into the Arabian Sea. The Green Clearance Committee is not giving it's nod for the ramp at Malabar Hill. I would like to call you all at the Gateway of India and dump it (the bus) into the sea."
The amphibious bus is a brain child of Gadkari. He has been pushing for its use since past three years. The bus which can ride on roads as well as in sea was supposed to run between Gateway of India to Bolava with a travel time of 20 minutes. This was supposed to be run first on experimental basis and later on commercial basis.
Gadkari had lambasted at the Indian Navy a couple of months ago for denying his ministry a permission to set up a floating hotel near Malabar Hill because of security reasons.
Gadkari described his journey to Pen in the morning today as "worst" when he travelled from Jindal Steel Works plant to the town. "It took me 35 minutes to complete the 4 km journey. The road between Palaspe and Indapur is the worst." He, however, clarified that the worst road was a sin of the previous Congress-NCP government not his.
"The contractor appointed by the previous government did not do his job well. We have replaced the contractor. Now, we have allotted Rs 16 crore to repair the stretch. The entire Mumbai-Goa Highway will be redone by March next year."
Gadkari disclosed that he will flag off the country's first flight to be run on bio-fuel on August 28. He informed that the SpiceJet will operate the flight between Delhi and Dehradun. "This will lead to decrease in dependency on aviation fuel and reduce the cost significantly," he said.
He also informed that the governments of Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh will sign a memorandum of understanding on August 28 in Delhi in connection with a proposed railway track between Indore in MP and Manmad in Maharashtra.
The Port Rail Connectivity Corporation under the Ministry of Shipping has approved a fund of Rs 8,000 correct for this project. "Once the railway track is operational the distance between Delhi and Chennai will reduce by 250 km," Gadkari said.
Commenting upon the port jetty works going on at Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) and Special Economic Zone (SEZ) he said the government has insisted on the industries to give 80 per cent of the jobs to local youths from Konkan region.