Dr. Raman Singh, Speaker of the Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly, virtually attended the ceremony
Raipur, 18 September 2024//
Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Shri Nitin Gadkari, virtually inaugurated the world’s tallest bamboo tower in Bemetra, Chhattisgarh, on World Bamboo Day. Dr. Raman Singh, Speaker of the Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly, also attended the ceremony through video conferencing. The 140-foot-tall tower, weighing 7,400 kilograms, was constructed by Bhavya Srishti Udyog in Kathiya village, Bemetra district, at an approximate cost of Rs. 11 lakh. Inspired by the design of the Eiffel Tower, it was created by Shri Ganesh Verma, founder of Bhavya Srishti Udyog and an expert in bamboo technology.
During his address, Shri Gadkari lauded the company’s continuous research on bamboo, which has uncovered new properties and uses for the material. He highlighted the tower’s lightweight nature and its projected lifespan of at least 25 years. The minister proposed its potential use as a watchtower, telecom tower, transmission tower, or radio tower. Shri Gadkari also praised Bhavya Srishti Udyog for their innovative designs and concepts, offering the government’s full support to further their efforts.
The Union Minister emphasised the potential of bamboo in improving the lives of Chhattisgarh’s tribal population. He urged the state government to formulate policies that promote bamboo utilisation. He suggested that creating innovative designs for the state’s handlooms, handicrafts, and metal crafts could significantly boost their sales. Shri Gadkari requested Dr. Raman Singh to convey the importance of setting up design centres to develop utility-based designs for bamboo furniture and other products, believing this could enable Chhattisgarh to produce items for export.
Dr. Raman Singh expressed pride in the 140-foot bamboo tower and stated that it has enhanced Chhattisgarh’s prestige. He congratulated Bhavya Srishti Udyog for their remarkable achievement, recognising the company’s connection to local farmers, forest dwellers, and the land. MP Shri Vijay Baghel, MLA Shri Deepesh Sahu, and MLA Shri Ishwar Sahu also attended the ceremony.
Shri Ganesh Verma shared that Bhavya Srishti Udyog’s products have been acknowledged by several key government bodies, including the National Automotive Test Tracks, Central Building Research Institute, Indian Railways, and the Indian Roads Congress. In a significant move, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways is preparing to launch pilot projects for installing bamboo crash barriers along hundreds of kilometres in 25 states. The trials, set to begin in the coming months, will assess the feasibility of widespread bamboo barrier installations, which could provide a major economic and environmental boost for farmers and rural communities.
