Nitin Gadkari says he felt ‘ashamed’ at Mumbai-Goa highway work delays; ‘I want to set record of blacklisting maximum number of contractors and suspending officials for poor quality work’
Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari has said that he wants to set a record blacklisting contractors who do poor quality work and also suspend officials.Gadkari said he had earlier expressed shame over the prolonged delay in widening the Mumbai-Goa Highway. He now plans to travel along the highway in October and personally review the work that has been completed.He was speaking after inaugurating a six-lane elevated road corridor at Porvorim near Panaji. Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, Union Minister Shripad Naik, State Public Works Department Minister Digambar Kamat, Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte and other officials were present at the event.
‘Want to set record for blacklisting contractors, suspending officials’
Gadkari said on Wednesday that he wanted to “set a record” by blacklisting the largest possible number of contractors and suspending officials found responsible for delays or poor-quality execution in infrastructure projects.“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.According to Gadkari, officials held a meeting on the issue on Tuesday.“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.The minister said the government would continue taking stringent action against contractors and officials responsible for delays and substandard execution of infrastructure projects.“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 also called on the Goa government to develop roadside amenities along the Mumbai-Goa highway that reflect the state’s distinctive architecture, cuisine and handicraft traditions.He said these facilities should offer visitors an opportunity to experience Goan food and purchase the state’s handloom and handicraft products, giving tourists a distinctive experience as they travel through Goa.Gadkari also proposed adding facilities for biofuels, electric vehicles and other alternative fuels alongside the petrol and diesel pumps operating on the route.“If you make a request to me, I am ready to provide them to you,” Gadkari said.
Mumbai-Goa highway widening delayed
The widening work on the Mumbai-Goa highway, which runs through Maharashtra’s coastal Konkan region, has been delayed repeatedly.He also said landscaping along the highway should be planned scientifically rather than relying on contractors to carry out arbitrary tree plantation.“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.Gadkari appealed to Chief Minister Sawant and local MLAs to support efforts to turn the entire highway into a “green highway”. He also suggested that it could be developed along the lines of an “oxygen park”.The minister pointed out that he had previously developed an oxygen park in Nagpur.He said quality infrastructure covering water, electricity, transportation and communication is important for attracting investment, generating employment and helping reduce poverty.Gadkari further called for Goa to work towards eliminating water, air and noise pollution. He urged the authorities to ensure that waste does not find its way into the sea.He also sought a comprehensive review of traffic conditions in the state and reforms to address congestion. Among the measures he suggested were consolidating markets, relocating warehouses outside cities, upgrading bus depots and synchronising traffic movement.Referring to the newly inaugurated elevated corridor at Porvorim, Gadkari said a road that originally had a two-lane capacity now effectively provides capacity for ten lanes, with four lanes at ground level and six lanes on the elevated section.The minister also pushed for wider adoption of alternative fuels and technologies such as electric, hydrogen and flex-fuel systems, saying these would contribute to lowering pollution.
