Gadkari made the remarks while inaugurating a 5.15-kilometre-long elevated road built to help motorists avoid the congested routes of Panaji. Speaking at the inauguration of the six-lane flyover in Porvorim, he recalled his earlier statement that he would not attend the inauguration of the widened Mumbai-Goa Highway because of the prolonged delay in the project.
“I had (earlier) announced that I would not come for the inauguration of the (widened) Mumbai-Goa Highway because I was ashamed that it had been delayed so much,” Gadkari said.
The minister said a meeting with officials was held on Tuesday to discuss the issue. He said he would reach Mumbai airport in October and travel to Goa by road to personally inspect the highway and assess whether the journey had become convenient for passengers.
“I will reach Mumbai Airport in October and go to Goa by road so that I can personally inspect the highway and see whether the journey has become convenient for passengers,” he said.
Gadkari also stressed that strict action would continue against contractors and officials responsible for delays and poor-quality work in infrastructure projects. “Now I want to set a record for blacklisting the maximum number of contractors and taking action against them within one year, as well as suspending officials. I will not stop doing this now,” he said.
The Mumbai-Goa Highway project to convert the existing two-lane road into a four-lane highway was started in 2011. It was intended to reduce travel time from around 12 hours to six hours. However, work on several key stretches of the highway has remained stalled for a long time.
Concerns over construction quality have also been raised on social media after images showing damage on some sections emerged. Gadkari’s planned road journey from Mumbai to Goa in October will therefore also allow him to inspect the highway firsthand and assess the convenience of the route for travellers.
About The Author
Comment List