New Delhi: Highway and the Railway Ministry have been looking for a more smooth process of cleaning forest for linear projects for their faster execution.
In two different presentations before Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while the Highways Ministry has been looking for forest permissions “automatic portal-based” for linear projects, the railroad proposed to go with permission for these projects.
The two ministries have set high targets for the development of highways and trains.
They have referred to proposals recently circulated to change forest conservation laws.
TOI has been on March 13 reporting about the concept of government cabinets for Central Law Amendments proposed by the environment and the Ministry of Forest.
It has said the proposal to get rid of provisions to find prior forest approval for strategic and security projects, and allow the state to give such permissions to avoid delays.
The source in the government said the main cause of delay in obtaining forest permits for linear projects such as NH identified land for compensation afforestation.
They added the previous proposal sent to the environment and the Ministry of Forest to provide a linear project forward after the department approved money for afforestation.
The train ministry has set a target to complete 64 coal connectivity projects and ports in March 2024 and the Ministry of Highways has planned to expand 36,500 km from the national highway in the next three years.
The delay in obtaining forest permits has become one of the main reasons for traffic infrastructure projects and trains.
Meanwhile, the source said PM had requested ministry infrastructure transportation to plan and work together, especially when building bridges and tunnels for integrated investment planning and savings.
Officials said planning was integrated in intensive capital projects such as bridges and tunnels were also important for faster infrastructure development and increased multi-capital connectivity.
Speaking at an event in Manipur on Monday, Union Road Transportation and Minister of Highways Nitin Gadkari urged the state government to accelerate the opening of the forest to accelerate highway construction.
In the past, he urged other countries to do this seriously.