![Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari speaking in Lok Sabha during winter session of Parliament, in New Delhi on Thursday. (TV Grab) (UNI) Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari speaking in Lok Sabha during winter session of Parliament, in New Delhi on Thursday. (TV Grab) (UNI)](https://cdndailyexcelsior.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Gadkari.jpg)
NEW DELHI, Dec 2: A total of 3,66,138 road accidents occurred in India during the calendar year 2020, causing 1,31,714 deaths, Parliament was informed on Thursday. In a written reply to the Lok Sabha, Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari said that as many as 1,51,113 people were killed in road accidents in India during 2019, while total number of accidents in the country stood at 4,49,002. Replying to a separate question, Gadkari said during the current financial year, National Highways Authority of India has monetised 390 km under Infrastructure Investment Trust (InvIT) mode with a concession value of Rs 7,350 crore and capex of Rs 495 crore. “An additional length of 450 km has also been bid out through Toll Operate Transfer (TOT) mode in 3 bundles,” he added. According to the minister, further 86 stretches with aggregate length of around 4,912 km have been identified.
“The priority, mode of monetisation, expected upfront realization amount and capital cost involved, shall be determined in accordance with the government norms, on the basis of project viability and market appetite prevalent at the time of bidding,” he said.
Gadkari said NHAI has identified 5,500 km, 7,300 km and 8,900 km length of National Highways (NHs) stretches for monetisation, respectively, in 2022-23, 2023-24 and 2024-25.
Road assets worth Rs 1.60 lakh crore will be monetised over four years till FY25 under the ambitious national asset monetisation plan. (PTI)