The university has been renamed as Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya. Mr Thakur stated that the Union Cabinet approved the introduction of a Bill in Parliament, titled the Central Universities (Amendment) Bill, 2022, to amend the Central Universities Act, 2009, in order to establish Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya (GSV).
He added that the amendment would support in the conversion of the National Rail and Transportation Institute (NRTI), a deemed-to-be university, to Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya, a Central University.
Currently, the NRTI offers BSc in transportation technology, BBA in transportation management courses, and MSc in railway system engineering and integration.
Mr Thakur said since the government has plans of pumping in Rs 100 lakh crore in projects related to rail, road and sea infrastructure, the varsity would provide the necessary research and skilled manpower. The infrastructure sector in the country is going in for a major expansion under the Narendra Modi government, he asserted.
The Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya is envisioned to be a key enabler for expanding the transportation sector which is strategically critical for India’s economic growth and development, he said.
The sector requires a stable supply of highly trained personnel and state-of-the-art technology. The University will fill these gaps, he added.
It will integrate and utilise the extensive network of training facilities owned by the Indian Railways and the institutes of other sectoral ministries like road transport and highways, civil aviation, ports, shipping and waterways, the minister said.