New Delhi: Union minister

Nitin Gadkari

on Thursday said that

infrastructure development

is key to making India a strong economic power and that the road transport and highways ministry has taken a decision to convert 25,000-30,000 kilometres of two-lane highways into four-lane ones at an investment of ₹10 lakh crore.

Speaking at the India Infrastructure Forum 2025, he said the ministry will now encourage the Infrastructure Investment Trust (InvIT) model to raise money for highway projects from Indian investors.

“To make India a strong economic power, infrastructure is key. We have taken a decision to convert 25,000-30,000 km two-lane highways into four lanes for ₹8-10 lakh crore,” he said.

The road transport and highways minister further said his dream is to complete road projects worth ₹5-6 lakh crore every year.

Gadkari also said the ministry is working on revising the build-operate-transfer (BOT) model for the construction of roads, under which it will collect tolls for 15 years and share part of it with concessionaires.

“We will construct highways under the BOT model but for 15 years toll will be collected by the government and we will give money to them (concessionaires) on an annuity basis,” he said, adding that the maintenance of highways for 15 years will be done by contractors.

Making agriculture viable

Agriculture needs to become economically viable as it is necessary to make the country “atmanirbhar” (self-reliant), Gadkari said at the 4th International BBB Summit & Expo on Bioenergy Value Chain on Thursday. “Indian agriculture is not very economically viable. This is the time we need to find out the solution to make it economically viable as without that, we cannot make Atmanirbhar Bharat,” he said.