Union Road Transport and Highways and Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari has regretted that over the years, waterways have been neglected in the country.In an interview to ETV, he said his ministry is working hard on projects to develop waterways.The minister explained transporting goods on road costs much higher than materials moved through railways and it is much cheaper through waterways. Thus waterways need to be developed, he said.Answering questions, he sought to counter contentions that diesel vehicles contribute to the pollution of the national capital and maintained that vehicular traffic makes up only about 17-18 per cent of city's pollution.
"Delhi is not being polluted only due to diesel vehicles. Vehicles contribute 17-18 per cent only to city's pollution," Gadkari said.The union minister and former BJP chief also said that the standard of politics has deteriorated and he regretted that top leaders of opposing parties "do not meet or greet each other"."It is unhealthy trend that two opposition party leaders do not meet or greet each other," Gadkari told ETV without naming anyone and lamented that "for this the standard of politics has deteriorated"."The nation can grow only if leaders will love their people and nation," he said.