Will blacklist contractors, suspend officials for delays, poor work: Gadkari

PANAJI: (Sep 9) Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari on Wednesday said he wanted to “set a record” for blacklisting the maximum number of contractors and suspending officials responsible for delays or shoddy execution in infrastructure projects.

He had earlier stated that he felt ashamed due to the delays in the widening of the busy Mumbai-Goa Highway, but he would now travel down this arterial road in October to inspect the work done, he said. The 6-lane, over five-kilometre project on NH-66, is built at a cost of around Rs 641 crore, is expected to ease traffic and improve connectivity between Panaji and northern part of the state.

Gadkari was speaking after inaugurating a six-lane elevated road corridor at Porvorim near Panaji in the presence of Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, Union Minister Shripad Naik, State Public Works Department Minister Digambar Kamat, Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte and others.