Aviation fuel shortage to hit five flights operations from Nagpur: Nitin Gadkari

Pune: Union minister for road transport and highways Nitin Gadkari said on Saturday that five flight operations from Nagpur will be suspended in the coming days due to a shortage of aviation fuel.Speaking at an event on clean energy in Satara, Gadkari clarified that the suspension is not a result of low passenger demand. “Five flight operations will be suspended from Nagpur in a couple of days. The reason is not lack of passengers, but rather the current shortage of aviation turbine fuel,” he said.The minister used the platform to advocate for increased domestic fuel production to reduce India’s heavy reliance on imports, particularly given the volatility caused by the ongoing conflict in West Asia.“Our country spends nearly Rs23 lakh crore on fuel imports. With the number of vehicles steadily rising, we cannot simply reduce consumption; however, we can reduce imports by scaling up domestic biofuel production. This will not only curb our foreign exchange expenditure but also provide a significant financial boost to our farmers,” Gadkari said.He emphasised that his ministry is working aggressively to expand biofuel infrastructure across India. Gadkari shared his vision of transforming the agrarian economy, stating, “While our economy is largely driven by agriculture, we want our farmers to be more than just food providers, we want them to be producers of energy, biofuel, and bitumen.”Addressing the construction sector, Gadkari highlighted that India requires approximately 120 lakh tonnes of bitumen annually for roadwork, 60 to 70 lakh tonnes of which is currently imported.“With the price of bitumen rising from Rs45 per kg to Rs80 per kg, we are spending more foreign exchange than ever. To counter this, we have successfully produced ‘bio-bitumen’ using agricultural waste. Shifting to bio-bitumen will help prevent our national wealth from going abroad,” he added.