
New Delhi: As India celebrates the third anniversary of its integrated project planning tool, PM GatiShakti, Sri Lanka and Nepal are exploring opportunities to import this innovative system to enhance their infrastructure projects. Industry Secretary Amardeep Singh Bhatia confirmed ongoing discussions between the countries and New Delhi aimed at reducing costs and time overruns associated with infrastructure development.
Launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 13, 2021, PM GatiShakti serves as the National Master Plan for multi-modal connectivity, and has already facilitated the clearance of projects worth over ₹15 lakh crore. Bhatia stated, “The proposals from Nepal and Sri Lanka are currently under consideration, with Nepal’s requirements being project-specific while Sri Lanka is interested in adopting the system comprehensively.”
India’s Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) is committed to assisting its neighbors in enhancing the planning of their infrastructure projects, asserting that the implementation of PM GatiShakti will be complimentary to their efforts. The government is also looking to expand the use of this tool for project planning at the district level, following its success at the central and state levels.
In its three years of operation, PM GatiShakti has successfully planned 208 projects, amounting to ₹15.39 lakh crore, with involvement from 36 states and Union Territories (UTs). Bhatia noted that 44 central ministries, including eight focused on infrastructure, have been onboarded into the integrated planning system, which has incorporated an impressive 1,614 data layers—726 contributed by various ministries and departments and 888 by states and UTs.
Key infrastructure ministries are leveraging the National Master Plan, with the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) planning over 8,891 kilometers of road projects and the Ministry of Railways outlining more than 27,000 kilometers of railway lines under the framework. The Railways has notably accelerated its final location surveys (FLS), completing 449 in FY 2022, a significant increase from just 57 in FY 2021.
The system is also transforming how the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG) conducts its operations. For instance, the time required to prepare Detailed Route Surveys (DRS) for projects has been reduced from six to nine months to just one day with the introduction of electronic DRS (eDRS) reports, streamlining the project approval process.
Beyond central initiatives, states are utilizing the system effectively. For example, Goa has created a disaster management plan for flood-prone areas using the National Master Plan, while Uttar Pradesh employs it to identify potential sites for new high schools and intermediate colleges in underserved areas via the Pahunch Portal.
With the adoption of PM GatiShakti, both Sri Lanka and Nepal aim to strengthen their infrastructure capabilities, fostering regional cooperation and promoting sustainable development in the South Asian region.
Sources By Agencies