The Road Transport and Highways Ministry (MoRTH) will seek the Cabinet's nod for permitting construction of smart cities, townships, logistic parks and industrial clusters along the national highways, Union minister Nitin Gadkari said.

The minister said his motive is to construct world-class highway networks and the road transport and highways ministry has chalked out a plan for monetising existing highways projects for infra capital generation. "And now we have prepared a Cabinet note for approval ....for making roadside townships, smart cities, logistic parks, industrial clusters," he said, adding, "We are making 400 roadside amenities".

Gadkari  also said the road transport and highways ministry is now submitting a scheme for the second phase of Bharatmala Pariyojana that is more than 65,000 km to 70,000 km, and resolution of claims worth Rs 41,500 crore. "We are making parking plazas, logistic parks...we are now planning to make tunnels worth Rs 2.5 lakh crore."

On cost escalation of road projects, the minister replied, "What you are telling me is correct, but I don't know what are the contractual terms. We will refer to the contractual terms and then we will consider all these issues." Admitting that cost escalation of road projects is a serious issue, he asked contractors to submit their proposals to the ministry.

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