Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari on Wednesday said he wanted to “set a record” by blacklisting the maximum number of contractors and suspending officials responsible for delays and poor execution of infrastructure projects. Speaking after inaugurating a six-lane elevated corridor at Porvorim near Panaji, Gadkari made it clear that action against those responsible for substandard or delayed work would intensify rather than stop.
“Now I want to set a record of blacklisting the maximum number of contractors and taking action against them, as well as suspending officials, within a year. I am not going to stop doing this now,” Gadkari said. The minister has repeatedly stressed accountability in highway construction and said contractors as well as officials would be held responsible when projects suffered because of poor execution.
Mumbai-Goa highway under lens
Gadkari again expressed displeasure over the prolonged delays in widening the Mumbai-Goa highway, recalling that he had earlier said he felt “ashamed” about the situation and would not attend its inauguration. He said a meeting with officials was held on Tuesday to review the project and announced that he would personally inspect the highway next month.
The minister said he would land at Mumbai airport in October and travel by road to Goa to assess the condition of the highway and determine whether the journey had become convenient for motorists. The widening of the arterial route, which runs through Maharashtra’s coastal Konkan region, has faced repeated delays over the years.
Push for green highway
Gadkari urged the Goa government to develop roadside amenities along the route that reflect the state’s distinctive architecture, cuisine, handloom and handicraft traditions. Such facilities, he said, could improve the travel experience for tourists while creating opportunities to showcase local products. He also called for conventional petrol and diesel pumps along the highway to provide facilities for biofuels, electric vehicles and other alternative fuels.
The minister opposed arbitrary tree plantation by contractors and called for scientific landscaping along the highway. Studies should determine which flowering trees and other species are suitable and which absorb greater amounts of carbon dioxide, he said. Gadkari urged Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and local legislators to help transform the entire route into a “green highway”, suggesting an “oxygen park” model similar to a project developed in Nagpur.
Goa traffic reforms urged
Highlighting the importance of infrastructure in attracting investment, generating employment and reducing poverty, Gadkari said Goa also needed to tackle water, air and noise pollution and ensure that waste did not enter the sea. He called for a comprehensive traffic study and measures such as consolidating markets, relocating warehouses outside urban areas, improving bus depots and better synchronising traffic movement to reduce congestion.
Referring to the newly inaugurated Porvorim elevated corridor, Gadkari said a road that originally had two lanes now effectively offers a 10-lane capacity, with four lanes at ground level and six on the elevated section. He also advocated wider adoption of electric, hydrogen, flex-fuel and other alternative-fuel technologies to reduce pollution.