Some stretches or sections in about 100 National Highways across the country are passing through or falling in forest areas declared as Wildlife Sanctuary/National Park or its Eco-Sensitive Zone.

On Wednesday, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said his Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has sanctioned highway projects worth around Rs 3,36,661 crore during the three years to 2020-21. The Road Transport and Highways Minister, in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha, said that the completion time of a project is generally kept two-three years from the date of the project award. The minister, while replying to a separate question, said some stretches or sections in about 100 National Highways across the country are passing through or falling in forest areas declared as Wildlife Sanctuary/National Park or its Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ), a PTI report stated.

According to the Union Minister, to minimize the impact of highway development on wildlife, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has issued instructions to implementing agencies to make all efforts in order to avoid any road alignment through Wildlife Sanctuaries or National Parks, even if it requires taking a longer route or bypass. While replying to another question, the minister said the total number of de-registered vehicles for the year 2021 by the Government of NCT of Delhi is 22,753. De-registration of 10 year old diesel vehicles is being conducted in compliance with orders of the NGT and the SC, by the transport department of the Government of NCT, Delhi.

The Union Minister also said that a motor vehicle other than a transport vehicle shall not be deemed to be validly registered following the expiry of validity entered in the registration certificate according to rule 52(3) of CMVR, 1989. The minister further added that a Certificate of Registration is valid for 15 years, which is renewable. However, according to Gadkari in NCT of Delhi, the registration/certificate of fitness of Motor vehicles after 15 years’ age is not renewed in compliance with NGT and SC orders with regard to the prohibition on plying of diesel vehicles over 10 years old and petrol vehicles more than 15 years old.

https://www.financialexpress.com/infrastructure/roadways/highway-projects-worth-rs-3-36-lakh-crore-sanctioned-in-three-years-to-financial-year-2020-21-nitin-gadkari/2430147/