Speaking at the inauguration of a six-lane elevated road corridor at Porvorim near Panaji, Gadkari said he wants to set a record for blacklisting contractors and suspending officials responsible for delayed or poorly executed infrastructure projects, as he expressed frustration over the prolonged delay in widening the Mumbai-Goa highway.

Mumbai-Goa highway: Gadkari to inspect project in October

Gadkari said a meeting on the highway was held with officials on Tuesday and he was informed that around 93-94 per cent of the project had been completed.

Rather than attending a formal inauguration, Gadkari said he would personally inspect the road when he travels from Mumbai to Goa by car in October, and assess whether the road had finally been made convenient for motorists and other travellers.

The Mumbai-Goa highway widening project has faced repeated delays and missed several deadlines, with work beginning in 2010-11 and the original completion deadline set for 2016.

The 555-km highway includes a 460-km stretch through Maharashtra, with work being undertaken by the National Highways Authority of India and the Maharashtra Public Works Department.

Gadkari vows action against contractors, officials

Gadkari said his department had already set seven world records for various works, and he now wanted to set another by taking action against the maximum number of contractors and officials responsible for delays or poor execution within a year.

The proposed action includes:

• Blacklisting and debarring contractors responsible for delays or poor execution
• Taking action against contractors who fail to meet project requirements
• Suspending officials responsible for lapses in infrastructure projects
• Continuing strict action rather than allowing delays to go unchecked

Gadkari calls for ‘green highway’ through Goa

Alongside faster project completion, Gadkari urged the Goa government to develop roadside facilities that showcase the state’s architecture, cuisine, handloom and handicraft traditions.

He also suggested that existing petrol and diesel stations should be supplemented with facilities for biofuels, electric vehicles and other alternative fuels.

Gadkari called for scientific landscaping along the highway rather than arbitrary tree planting. He said studies should determine which flowering trees and other species would be most suitable, including those that can absorb more carbon dioxide and release oxygen.

He urged Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and local legislators to work towards developing the highway as a “green highway”, drawing on the model of an oxygen park developed in Nagpur.

Porvorim corridor inaugurated

Gadkari’s remarks came after the inauguration of the six-lane elevated corridor at Porvorim.

The new corridor gives the previously two-lane road a 10-lane capacity, with four lanes at ground level and six lanes above, and is expected to ease congestion in the area.

The Union Minister also stressed that better infrastructure is essential for attracting investment and creating jobs. He called for improvements in Goa’s traffic management, waste disposal and pollution control, while advocating greater use of electric, hydrogen and flex-fuel technologies.

(With agency inputs)