-The Hindu Rs. 3,000 crore for the North-East alone; fillip to PM's rural scheme The Union Budget 2014 has given importance to fast-tracking highways and improving the road infrastructure to augment the nation's arterial network. "The sector had taken shape between 1998 and 2004 under NDA-I. The sector again needs huge amount of investment," said Finance Minister Arun Jaitley while tabling the Budget. "I propose investment in National Highways Authority of India and...

-The Times of India   NEW DELHI: The highways ministry is looking at entering into long-term contracts with cement majors across the country to purchase the construction material at a lower cost and shift to concrete roads, which are seen to be more durable although they cost more than those made using bitumen. Road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari - who had announced his support for concrete the day he took...

-Tehelka   It is time India had a Good Samaritan law  It has been more than a year since the Nirbhaya rape case stirred the nation. Apart from the brutality inflicted upon the victim what else became a stigma for our society was the fact that no one came to the victim's rescue when the two were lying on the street naked and grievously injured. Of course people did cross them in luxurious...

-The Hindustan Times   New Delhi: As over 1.30 lakh people die in road traffic accidents every year in India, the Supreme Court on Tuesday set up a three-member panel to monitor implementation of road safety measures, including emergency medical help to accident victims. A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of India P Sathasivam asked the government to extend better medical facilities made available on an experimental basis on national highways to...

-The Telegraph Shillong: The National Green Tribunal has ordered a stop to rat-hole coal mining across Meghalaya and it observed that neither the government nor the people were benefiting from "illegal mining" except the "coal mafias" while warning against illegal transportation of the mineral. This is the latest instance that a national authority has intervened in the traditional and unscientific form of coal mining that has been the order of the day...