Gadkari vows record action against contractors, officials over delays

Panaji: Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari on Wednesday said he wanted to "set a record" for blacklisting the maximum number of contractors and suspending officials responsible for delays or shoddy execution in infrastructure projects.

He had earlier stated that he felt ashamed due to the delays in the widening of the busy Mumbai-Goa Highway, but he would now travel down this arterial road in October to inspect the work done, he said.

Gadkari was speaking after inaugurating a six-lane elevated road corridor at Porvorim near Panaji in the presence of Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, Union Minister Shripad Naik, State Public Works Department Minister Digambar Kamat, Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte and others.


"I had announced (earlier) that I would not come for the inauguration of the (widened) Mumbai-Goa highway because I felt ashamed that it had been delayed so much," he said.

A meeting was held on the issue on Tuesday with officials, the minister said.

"I would land at the Mumbai airport in October, and travel by road to Goa to personally inspect the highway and assess whether the journey has been made convenient for travellers," he said.

Strict action against contractors and officials responsible for delays and poor execution of infrastructure projects would continue, he averred.

"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," he said.

Gadkari urged the Goa government to simultaneously develop roadside amenities reflecting the state's distinctive architecture, food, and handicraft traditions along the Mumbai-Goa highway.

Such facilities should showcase Goan cuisine as well as the state's handloom and handicraft products, providing tourists with a distinctive experience while travelling through the state, he said.

Gadkari also called for petrol and diesel pumps along the route to be supplemented with facilities for biofuels, electric vehicles and other alternative fuels.

"If you make a request to me, I am ready to provide them to you," Gadkari said.

The widening of the Mumbai-Goa highway which passes through the coastal Konkan region of Maharashtra has faced repeated delays.

There should be scientific landscaping along the highway instead of arbitrary tree plantation by contractors, Gadkari further said.

"Proper study should be conducted to determine which flowering trees and species should be planted, and which species absorb more carbon dioxide and release oxygen," the minister said.

He urged Chief Minister Sawant and local MLAs to cooperate in making the entire highway a "green highway" and suggested developing it on the lines of an "oxygen park".

He had developed an oxygen park in Nagpur, he noted.

Good infrastructure, including water, power, transport and communication facilities, plays a key role in attracting investment, creating employment and reducing poverty, the Union minister said.

Gadkari also stressed the need to make Goa free from water, air and noise pollution and urged authorities to ensure that waste does not enter the sea.

He called for a comprehensive traffic study and reforms in the state, including consolidation of markets, shifting warehouses outside cities, improving bus depots and synchronising traffic to ease congestion.

Talking about the new Porvorim elevated corridor, he said the original two-lane road now has ten-lane capacity, with four lanes below and six lanes above.

The minister also advocated greater use of alternative fuels and electric, hydrogen and flex-fuel technologies, saying it would help reduce pollution.