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COVER STORY PLUS

have to become a little more Bharatmala and quite a few Now we are focusing on hilly
strict? It will ultimately come projects have been taken up by terrains, in difficult areas. If you
down to enforcement only. the government in a big way to travel from Jammu to Srinagar,
That is what is happening. As a provide proper infrastructure the journey takes about 10 to 12
matter of fact the Motor Vehicle on a large scale. Can you run us hours. But now, Chenani Nashri
Amendment Bill which has been through the positive atmosphere tunnel of nine and a half kilometres
passed by the Lok Sabha and, which that prevails when it comes to reduces the distance by 31 km. It
is before the Select Committee infrastructure? is an all-weather tunnel. We are
of the Rajya Sabha has provisions Well, what you have to do is you doing four more tunnels like that.
which are much more deterrent have to choose whether you want The ultimate target is to bring the
than what they were. I think it to drive on the golden quadrilateral Jammu to Srinagar distance down
was easy for anybody to say, ‘ok, I or on North-South or East-West to five hours. But much more than
pay you Rs 100 as my challan’ and corridors or any of those. Yes, I that, the connectivity with Kashmir is
move out of the situation but if the get a lot of scolding from people serving a larger national interest – by
person has to pay Rs 5000, probably if there are some potholes in some making those people a part of the
he will think twice. So eventually it packages but people, not very rest of India.
brings compliance by deterrence happily, also recognize that there There is a feeling of positivity on
-- not by behavior or inculcation of are wonderful roads and that they the infrastructure projects taken
a conduct of a value system, which can drive at a speed of 120. For up by the government. But you
is not a happy situation. Awareness such infrastructure they assume are also sceptical when it comes
is required. And more emphasis is that yeh to government ko dena to technology. You said at our
required on the system under which hee dena hai (it is the government’s conference that technology goes
we issue the driving licenses, and duty to give this). But if they find piggy-ride on infrastructure…
on driver training schools. All these an unrepaired pothole, they get I will explain. For example, NHAI
features are being provided for in angry. Anyway, they have a right has 371 toll plazas on all its National
the Motor Vehicle Amendment Bill. to be angry. But road in terms of Highways out of which 361 are
We want some of these features to connectivity is really bringing about operational. I am not happy with the
come through this new Bill. efficient mobility. experience that a road user has on the

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