Nitin Gadkari Advocates Road Quality Revolution

Gandhinagar : Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari recently highlighted the critical role of road engineering in preventing accidents, asserting that poor road design contributes significantly more to accidents than driver error.

During the 82nd Indian Road Congress’s annual session held at the Mahatma Gandhi Mandir in Gandhinagar on December 3, Gadkari underscored the urgent need to reduce construction expenses without compromising quality. He advocated for leveraging alternative materials and cutting-edge technology while emphasizing timely project completion.

Expressing dissatisfaction with the quality of detailed project reports (DPRs), Gadkari criticized their creators, stating that he’s witnessed substandard work where DPR makers rely on internet searches at home. He emphasized the necessity for flawless DPRs to ensure project perfection.

Citing alarming statistics, Gadkari highlighted India’s annual toll of five lakh accidents, 1.5 lakh fatalities, and three lakh injuries, resulting in a substantial 3% GDP loss. He lamented the common practice of unjustly blaming drivers for accidents and urged engineers to identify and rectify hazardous spots to save lives.

Furthermore, Gadkari stressed the importance of engineering not being the cause of accidents and advocated for increased public-private partnerships to propel the nation’s progress.

Applauding Gujarat’s innovative use of plastic in the construction of the Ahmedabad-Dholera Highway as an environmentally friendly initiative, Gadkari commended the state’s example.

Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel echoed the sentiment, emphasizing a quality-centric approach in road, bridge, and highway construction to align with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of India as a “Developed Nation” by 2047. Patel highlighted the PM’s focus on expanding the road network, mentioning the construction of 54,000 kilometers of national highways and greenfield expressways.

Patel also showcased Gujarat’s contributions to road development and the promotion of tourist destinations.

The three-day congress saw participation from students, scientists, engineers from NITs, IITs, various universities, research organizations, consultants, civic societies, and contractors. Discussions covered a wide array of topics, including roads, bridges, sea-links, mountain roads, tunnels, and infrastructure projects.