Nitin Gadkari informed the House that the ministry is working on a new green expressway from New Delhi to Mumbai, which can be covered in 12 hours (File photo)

Union minister Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday said people have to pay a toll if they want good roads, making it clear that the toll system would stay as the government does not have enough funds.

Replying to a discussion on demands for grants for the Road Transport and Highways ministry in the Lok Sabha, Nitin Gadkari said the government built 40,000 kilometers of highway in the last five years.

Amid concerns expressed by some members over a collection of toll in different parts of the country, Nitin Gadkari said that money collected through toll from those areas which have the capacity to pay is utilized for building roads in rural and hilly areas.

"Toll Zindagi bar band Nahi ho sakta... kam zyaada ho saktha hai. Toll ka jaanamdata mein hoon... Toll system can never end though the rates may vary from time to time. A toll is my brainchild," Nitin Nitin Gadkari said.

"If you want good services, you have to pay for it. The government does not have money...," Nitin Gadkari stressed.

Underlining that land acquisition is a major problem in road construction projects, Nitin Gadkari urged that state governments should come out with solutions and help find a way out, Nitin Gadkari said.

The minister said his ministry was not moving forward with the project without 80 percent of land acquisition and this principle is being followed very strictly.

Nitin Gadkari said land acquisition process is very slow in West Bengal and Bihar.

Noting that more than 400 projects worth 3.85 lakh crore were closed when Nitin Gadkari assumed charge of the ministry in 2014, Nitin Gadkari said the Modi government saved Non-performing asset (NPAs) worth 3 lakh crore during the past five years by beginning work on these projects.

"There were 403 projects pending when Narendra Modi came to power involving a cost of 3,85,000 crore. It is a great achievement of the Indian government that we saved bankers of Rs 3 lakh crore of Non-performing asset (NPAs) and now 90 percent of projects are moving fast," Nitin Gadkari said.

Nitin Gadkari also informed the House that the ministry is working on a new green expressway from New Delhi to Mumbai, which can be covered in 12 hours. It will pass through most backward and tribal areas of Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Maharashtra and also save Rs 16,000 crore in land acquisition.

Nitin Gadkari referred to former US President John F Kennedy's quote that "American roads are not good because America is rich, but America is rich because American roads are good" to emphasize on building good quality of highways and roads across the country to boost its economy.

Expressing pain over deaths caused by road accidents, Nitin Gadkari said his ministry had identified 786 black spots and added that poor engineering is one of the main reasons for them.

Responding to demands of several MPs, Nitin Gadkari said he will consider if school buses or state transport buses can be exempt from tolls.

The country has a shortage of over 25 lakh drivers and told MPs that he will open a driving training center in each state.

Nitin Gadkari said his ministry is working to make Delhi pollution-free and added that pollution has come down by 32 percent due to various efforts, including building peripheral roads to prevent trucks bound for other states from entering the national capital.

All new vehicles from April 1, 2020, will comply with Euro 6 emission norms, Nitin Gadkari said.

Rejecting the charge from members of West Bengal and Tamil Nadu that their states are being over-looked, Nitin Gadkari said he makes no distinction between states.

Nitin Gadkari said the land acquisition is the biggest hurdle in road projects in West Bengal.

Replying to clarifications sought by members on the Central Road Fund, Nitin Gadkari said he will talk to the Finance Minister about this and ensure that local MPs have a role in it.

The Central Road Fund (CRF) is a non-lapsable fund created under the Central Road Fund Act 2000. It is procured out of cess/tax imposed by the Union Government on the consumption of petrol and diesel.

The Central Road Fund (CRF) should be used to develop and maintain National Highways, State roads (that have economic importance with inter-state connectivity), rural roads, railway under/over bridges, etc, and national waterways (waterways from 2017 onwards only).

In response to a question by National Conference member Farooq Abdullah, Nitin Gadkari said his ministry has executed work worth Rs 7000 crore in Jammu and Kashmir in the last five years.

Replying to a question on production of lithium batteries, Nitin Gadkari said Toyota and Maruti have signed an agreement to work in this sector.

Nitin Gadkari said ndian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has been using lithium batteries in its satellites and he also had a meeting with them to check new technologies in this area.

In response to concerns raised by Adhir Ranjan Chowdury, Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha, over Chinese buying mines from where lithium ore is sourced in different countries, Nitin Gadkari said, "We have to import and there is no doubt about it. We have lost the opportunity," Nitin Gadkari said.

Nitin Gadkari, however, expressed confidence that in coming years there will be a technology to replace lithium.

Nitin Gadkari said the government is coming up with a policy to encourage Indian entities to get into this sector.

The House later passed the Demand for Grants for the ministry. N K Premchandran (RSP) withdrew all the cut motions he had moved.