India's transport sector has provided 4.5 crore jobs: Nitin Gadkari at WION World Pulse summit

Nitin Gadkari, Indian Minister of Road Transport and Highways, speaking at the WION World Pulse summit on Wednesday (March 18), said that the transport sector of the country has provided 4.5 crore jobs. The minister added that India is the fastest-growing economy in the world. He said that the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has the vision to make India an economy of $5 trillion. The transport sector is the soul of the growth of the Indian economy, he added.

"When the BJP came in power in 2014, the size of this industry (Transport) was 7 trillion (rupees). And at present, its size is 23 trillion. Earlier, we were at 7th place and now we are the 3rd place, leaving Japan behind. The US is at the top, having the industry size 79 trillion. China is at the 2nd position having the industry size of 49 trillion. And India is has 23 trillion," Gadkari said.

“The transport industry of India has given more than 4.5 crore jobs to people till date. This industry has the highest contribution in the exports of the country. And this industry, to both state and central, gives the highest revenue," the minister added. "Our policy is that transport must be safe, pollution free, and sustainable," Gadkari added.

The minister further shared his experience of witnessing traffic at the Dhaula Kuan of New Delhi. He narrated that he instructed his officials to extend the highway at the area.

Gadkari specifically pointed to the inconvenience passengers face when travelling between airports and hotels as a catalyst for exploring cutting-edge solutions like drone taxis. While he acknowledged that a commercially viable drone solution has not yet been achieved, he remains a staunch advocate for global and domestic research into these aerial transit systems.

The transition to alternative fuels and a green economy remains a long-term mission for Gadkari, who has been championing biofuels and ethanol since 2004. He noted that while it took significant time to build public and governmental trust, the alternative fuel and e-vehicle economy has now grown to a staggering ₹2 lakh crore. However, the Minister was candid about the "dark areas" still hindering the National Green Hydrogen Mission, specifically the lack of ready solutions for hydrogen transportation and refuelling infrastructure. To combat this, the government has launched five pilot projects focused on hydrogen-powered trucks and buses to test the feasibility of this clean energy source.

Addressing the persistent issue of urban congestion, Gadkari explained that building new roads in landlocked metros like Delhi and Mumbai requires a "bypass surgery" approach, where new routes are integrated within existing infrastructure. Despite these efforts, he admitted that rising traffic volumes continue to challenge traditional road-building methods. To mitigate this, the government is implementing targeted schemes such as ring roads in Bangalore and Hyderabad, alongside major corridors like the Delhi-Mumbai link. By advocating for ethanol-powered vehicles and e-mobility, and famously swapping his own bulletproof car for one using green technology, Gadkari continues to push for a reduced dependency on fossil fuel imports to secure India’s energy future.