Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways Nitin Gadkari stated during a convention by the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) that India currently has 63 operational vehicle scrapping centres, with 60 under construction and 40 more in the pipeline—insufficient for the nation’s automobile population. Gadkari emphasised the scrapping industry’s potential, claiming that it could raise sales by 18-20% while creating 35,000 jobs. He also applauded SIAM’s move to provide a 3% discount on new vehicle purchases for destroyed autos.
He unveiled a new testing agency worth ₹450 crore in Pune, which is anticipated to be completed in three months and benefit the automobile business. Gadkari emphasised the rising CNG market, which is expected to increase from 6,000 to 20,000 stations by 2030.
The minister advocated for the use of alternative fuels such as methanol and LNG, which might reduce expenses for truck drivers and industries. He added that the government is also working on developing hydrogen technology, which has the potential to create 6 lakh jobs and generate 125 GW of energy.
Road safety and pollution reduction remain top issues. Last year, India reported 1.68 lakh road deaths, and Gadkari urged automakers to open driving schools to boost safety standards.
