Nitin Gadkari says he felt ’embarrassed’ by delays in Mumbai-Goa expressway work; ‘I want to set a record by blacklisting the maximum number of contractors and suspending officials for shoddy work’

Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari has said he wants to establish a record blacklist of contractors doing shoddy work and also suspend officials.Gadkari said he had earlier expressed embarrassment over the long delay in the expansion of the Mumbai-Goa Expressway. He now plans to travel down the road 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.

‘They want to break a record in terms of including contractors on blacklists and suspending officials’

Gadkari said on Wednesday he wanted to “set a record” by blacklisting as many contractors as possible and suspending officials responsible for delays or shoddy execution of infrastructure projects.“I had announced (earlier) that I would not attend the inauguration of the Mumbai-Goa (expanded) expressway because I was embarrassed that it had been so delayed,” he said.According to Gadkari, officials held a meeting on the issue on Tuesday.“I would land at Mumbai airport in October and travel by road to Goa to personally inspect the road and assess whether the journey has been convenient for travellers,” he said.The minister said the government will continue to take strict action against contractors and officials responsible for delays and poor execution of infrastructure projects.“I now want to set the record of blacklisting the maximum number of contractors and taking action against them, as well as suspending officials, within a year. I will not stop doing this now,” he said.Gadkari also asked the Goa government to develop amenities on the Mumbai-Goa highway that reflect the state’s distinctive architecture, cuisine and craft traditions.He said these facilities should offer visitors the opportunity to experience Goan food and purchase the state’s handloom and handicraft products, giving tourists a distinctive experience while traveling around Goa.Gadkari also proposed adding facilities for biofuels, electric vehicles and other alternative fuels in addition to the petrol and diesel pumps operating on the route.“If you make a request, I am willing to provide it,” Gadkari said.

Mumbai-Goa expressway expansion delayed

Work on widening the Mumbai-Goa Expressway, which runs through the coastal Konkan region of Maharashtra, has been repeatedly delayed.He also said landscaping along the road should be planned scientifically instead of relying on contractors to carry out arbitrary tree plantations.“Proper studies should be carried out to determine which trees and flowering 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 MPs to support efforts to convert the entire highway into a “green highway”. He also suggested that it could be developed along the model of an “oxygen park.”The minister noted that he had earlier developed an oxygen park in Nagpur.He said quality infrastructure covering water, electricity, transport and communications is important to attract investment, generate employment and help reduce poverty.Gadkari further asked that Goa work to eliminate water, air and noise pollution. He urged authorities to ensure that waste does not reach 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, improving bus stations and synchronizing traffic movement.Referring to the recently inaugurated elevated corridor in Porvorim, Gadkari said a road that originally had a two-lane capacity now effectively offers ten-lane capacity, 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 they would help reduce pollution.