Gadkari reviews highway projects in Northeast

Shillong (Meghalaya), September 25, 2018:

Union Minister of Road, Transport and Highways, Shipping and Water Resources, etc., Nitin Gadkari, reviewed the National Highway Projects implemented in the eight northeastern states in Shillong. He reviewed all projects state-wise at a review meeting that lasted for two days wherein details including land acquisition, forest clearance, muck dumping, other issues related to project implementations and progress of works were discussed.

While reviewing the projects implemented in Arunachal Pradesh, Gadkari said his ministry wanted to execute road and highways rapidly in the state to bring about connectivity to the remote places, accelerate economic development and for employment generation. However, he said that due to the state’s own problems with regard to land acquisitions, forest clearance and other issues, execution of many important projects are getting over delayed causing huge loss and embarrassment to the ministry.

He asked the Arunachal government to expedite land acquisition, forest clearance and other issues saying the ministry will not take time to sanction the projects that are free from any encumbrance. He further said to sanction all the pending projects after getting 100% land acquisition and to declare the proposed national highways once the undergoing projects are successfully implemented.

Gadkari asked the contractors to improve their performance and expedite work progress as per the stipulated time of the projects by increasing their manpower and machineries. He cautioned that the non-performing contractors would be terminated and banned from further contesting in the tender, if requires.