National
Record 9,829 km of national highways built in FY18: Gadkari
New Delhi, April 3 (IANS) Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday said that record 9,829 kilometres of national highways at a cost of Rs 1,16,324 crore were constructed in the country during 2017-18, 20 per cent higher than the last year.
This translates to around 29 kms of highways built per day, short of the 40 kms per day target Gadkari had set for himself. He said he would achieve this target next year.
In 2016-17, a total of 8,231 kilometres of national highways were constructed.
Gadkari said that 17,055 kilometres road length was awarded in 2017-18, against 15,948 kilometres last year.
He told the media that the Eastern Peripheral Expressway would soon be opened for public as the work on the same was almost complete.
He said the project worth Rs 4,420 crore will be completed in a record time of about 500 days, against the targeted 910 days.
“This will be the first expressway to be fully solar powered. Eight solar power plants of four megawatt capacity have been installed on the expressway.
“The expressway will reduce pollution and decongest the national capital, as non-delhi bound commercial vehicles will not entre the city,” he said.
The Minister also announced that the work on construction of 14-lane highway from Delhi to Dasna, under the ambitious Delhi-Meerut highway project, will be completed in record time of 15 months, against the targeted 30 months.
“Two new four-lane bridges on both sides of the existing major bridge on river Yamuna will convert it to a 16-lane bridge. This is the first bridge in the country to have vertical gardens with solar system and drip irrigation,” he said.
The Minister also announced adoption of international system of counting of lane kilometres from the new financial year as against linear length which was counted so far.
–IANS
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National
Foodman Vishal Singh Honored for Hunger Free World Mission in Bangkok
Lucknow: Vishal Singh, a renowned social worker from Lucknow, also known as Foodman, has once again made India proud. He was honored by the Happy Hands Gloves Cooperative Limited Company in Korathai, Thailand, for his work with the Hunger Free World Mission.
The Hunger Free World Mission’s meeting was held in Korathai, Thailand, under Vishal Singh’s leadership. Representatives from several countries, including Mr. Raja Dwivedi (Managing Director of Happy Hands Gloves Limited), Thailand Coordinator Mr. Raja Mishra, and member Mr. Varun Singh, attended the event.
Under Vishal Singh’s leadership, the attendees took a pledge to work together toward creating a hunger-free world.
Speaking on the occasion, Vishal Singh explained that the main goal of the Hunger Free World Mission is social participation. He said the mission is not just about feeding people but also about meeting other basic needs of those who are struggling. The mission focuses on helping families of terminally ill patients in hospitals by providing food and shelter. It also works to fulfill essential needs like education, jobs, and care for the elderly.
For the last 16 years, the Vijay Sri Foundation has been providing free services, benefiting thousands of people. Vishal Singh highlighted that the mission aims to gain global recognition like other organizations such as WHO, WWF, and Red Cross, which work for social causes.
During this meeting, Vishal Singh was appointed as the Chairman of the Hunger Free World Mission by representatives from various countries. They also discussed holding regular meetings in different countries to push the mission forward.
Business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has also supported this humanitarian mission, vowing to promote the idea of “Seva Parmo Dharma” (Service is the highest duty) worldwide. Vishal Singh praised him, stating that people like Dr .Abhishek Verma inspire others to work for the betterment of society.
Recently, Romania’s Ambassador, Mr . Daniela Sezonov Ţane, invited Vishal Singh to the Romanian Embassy in Delhi, where they discussed the mission in detail. Impressed by his humanitarian work, she honored Vishal Singh and invited him to Romania to take the mission forward .
Food man Vishal Singh has been serving the people of India for the past 16 years. Through the Vijay Sri Foundation, he provides free meals to cancer patients & their families ,shelter, and education for women & children along with running free old-age homes in Lucknow.
In addition to his humanitarian work, Vishal Singh also addresses issues like crime and corruption through his role as Chairman of Seva Path Media and Managing Director of Vijay Sri Foundation.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Vishal Singh and his team worked tirelessly to provide food and help to the needy, including starving children, elderly citizens, and pregnant women. Despite contracting the virus himself, he continued to assist others after his recovery. He even created a life-saving oxygen regulator using household items, which was praised by doctors both in India and abroad.
In his address at the meeting, Vishal Singh spoke about his mission to create a hunger-free world. He pointed out that India’s large population, along with issues like unemployment and poverty, has caused the country to fall on the Hunger Index. He urged people to contribute just one handful of grains daily to help create a hunger-free world.
He concluded by saying that through social participation, we can empower the people around us, meet their basic needs, and work together to build a stronger, more prosperous, and developed society.