**Executive Summary**
At the 17th CIDC Vishwakarma Awards on April 10, 2026, Union Minister Shri Nitin Gadkari called for the integration of alternative fuels and innovative technologies in the construction sector. The address focused on achieving the "Viksit Bharat 2047" vision by enhancing efficiency, reducing costs, and prioritizing quality-based evaluations. Key action items include completing land acquisition and statutory clearances in advance to prevent project delays and financial strain on contractors.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Sustainability and Alternative Fuels**
* Promote the use of biofuels, biomass-based fuels, and other alternatives to reduce dependence on conventional fuels and lower operational costs.
* Adopt "waste-to-wealth" technologies, specifically incorporating recycled plastic waste and used tyres into road construction.
* Leverage successful innovation models, such as plastic waste usage in Nagpur, for broader infrastructure development.
* **Operational Efficiency and Planning**
* Prioritize faster decision-making and improved project planning to enhance efficiency and reduce overall construction costs.
* Ensure all prerequisites, including land acquisition and statutory clearances, are completed in advance to avoid procedural bottlenecks.
* Recognize that delays in clearances severely impact project timelines and the financial health of contractors.
* **Quality and Innovation**
* Transition to quality-based evaluation where performance and quality receive higher priority than cost considerations.
* Avoid shortcuts to maintain high standards, which protects and enhances the global reputation of Indian infrastructure companies.
* Foster collaboration between industry, research institutions, and academia to develop futuristic, research-based construction solutions.
**Impact Analysis**
**Construction Companies and Contractors**
**Impact:** Affected by a shift from cost-centric to quality-and-performance-based evaluations. They benefit from reduced delays due to advanced clearances but must adapt to new sustainable materials.
**Action Required:** Adopt modern technologies, alternative fuels, and recycled materials; maintain high quality standards to remain competitive globally.
**Government and Statutory Authorities**
**Impact:** Under pressure to streamline administrative processes to prevent project stagnation.
**Action Required:** Execute land acquisition and grant statutory clearances before project commencement to ensure smooth execution and financial stability for stakeholders.
**Research Institutions and Academia**
**Impact:** Identified as essential partners in converting scientific knowledge into economic wealth for the construction sector.
**Action Required:** Strengthen collaboration with the industry to conduct research and develop innovative, futuristic construction technologies.
**Engineers and Professionals**
**Impact:** Positioned as the primary drivers for building world-class infrastructure and achieving the national vision for 2047.
**Action Required:** Focus on innovation, entrepreneurship, and skilled practices to improve project implementation and sustainability.
Key Entities Referenced
Shri Nitin Gadkari: Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways who advocated for the adoption of alternative fuels, modern technologies, and quality-based project evaluation to improve infrastructure efficiency.
Ministry of Road Transport & Highways: The primary government ministry responsible for the development of the national highway network and the promotion of sustainable construction practices.
Viksit Bharat 2047: The national vision and strategic framework for a developed India, which serves as the guiding objective for infrastructure innovation and technological advancement.
17th CIDC Vishwakarma Awards: An initiative and event platform that recognizes excellence and encourages the adoption of research-based solutions and innovation in the construction sector.
Waste-to-Wealth: A strategic technological initiative involving the recycling of plastic waste and used tyres in road construction to promote sustainable infrastructure development.
Ministry of Road Transport & Highways
Union Minister Shri Nitin Gadkari Calls for
Adoption of Alternative Fuels and Innovative
Technologies in Construction Sector
Addresses 17th CIDC Vishwakarma Awards and Exhibition
‘Viksit Bharat 2047’ in New Delhi
Posted On: 10 APR 2026 3:17PM by PIB Delhi
Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Shri Nitin Gadkari today emphasized the importance of
innovation, technology and sustainable practices in the construction sector while underlining the need to
promote alternative fuels and new technologies for the future of infrastructure development.
Addressing the gathering at the 17th CIDC Vishwakarma Awards and Exhibition ‘Viksit Bharat 2047’ at
New Delhi, the Minister said that innovation, entrepreneurship, science, technology, research and skilled
practices are essential for converting knowledge into wealth. He added that the construction sector is
constantly evolving with continuous research, innovation and technological changes.
Emphasizing the need to reduce the cost of construction, Shri Gadkari said that adopting modern
technologies and improving processes can significantly enhance efficiency and reduce project costs. He
stressed that infrastructure development requires faster decision-making, better project planning and
strong commitment to quality.
The Minister highlighted the importance of completing key prerequisites such as land acquisition and
statutory clearances in advance to ensure smooth execution of infrastructure projects. He noted that delays
caused by pending clearances and procedural bottlenecks in the past had severely impacted project
timelines and the financial health of contractors.
Shri Gadkari also underlined the need to ensure quality-based evaluation in project implementation,
stating that quality and performance must receive higher priority along with cost considerations.
Emphasising sustainable solutions, he urged stakeholders to explore the use of biofuels, biomass-based
fuels and other alternative fuels, stating that such technologies can help reduce dependence on
conventional fuels and lower operational costs. He also called for greater use of waste-to-wealth
technologies, including recycling of plastic waste and used tyres in road construction.
Referring to successful innovations, the Minister said that the use of plastic waste in road construction has
already shown positive results in projects such as those implemented in Nagpur, demonstrating the
potential of sustainable materials in infrastructure development.
He further highlighted the importance of adopting futuristic technologies and research-based solutions and
encouraged stronger collaboration between industry, research institutions and academia for developing
innovative construction technologies.Shri Gadkari also noted that Indian infrastructure companies have demonstrated their capabilities globally,
executing major projects in countries such as Dubai, Qatar and several African nations. He said
maintaining high standards of quality and avoiding shortcuts will further enhance the global reputation of
India’s construction industry.
The Minister also presented 17th CIDC Vishwakarma Awards to the winners at the ceremony and
congratulated them for their contributions to quality and innovation in the construction and infrastructure
sector. He expressed confidence that engineers, builders and professionals associated with the sector will
play a crucial role in building world-class infrastructure and contributing to the vision of Viksit Bharat
2047.*****
GDH/ DS
(Release ID: 2250780) Visitor Counter : 355
Read this release in: Urdu , ही , Marathi , Gujarati