Union Minister for Road Transport, Highways and Shipping, Nitin Gadkari inaugurated a seminar on `Role of Consulting Engineers, Contractors, Developers and Authorities in Infrastructure Development’ here today. The two-day seminar, organized by Consulting Engineers Association of India (CEAI), aims to deliberate upon making a policy framework towards an overall development of infrastructure in the country. The participants would also take a critical look at the impediments standing in the way of fast-track implementation of projects with possible solutions enabling appropriate systematic corrections.
Speaking on the occasion, the Minister emphasized that `conversion of knowledge into wealth is the need of the hour.’ He added that `full transparency, zero tolerance for corruption, fast decision-making and a vision for the future should form the basis of consultancy.’ Underscoring different problems faced by the stakeholders in the development of infrastructure, the Minister said, “Government is considering to issue work order only after 80% of the land is acquired.” The Government is also making efforts to obtain clearances in advance from utility agencies for water and gas pipelines along with an advance sanction from environment agencies. “Environment and development should go hand-in-hand’, the Minister asserted. CEAI is the apex body of consulting engineers in India. It represents the engineering consultancy profession at the International Federation of Consulting Engineers (FIDIC), the global forum of consulting engineers.