Highway new rule- The names of negligent contractors and conniving officials in highway construction will soon be in front of everyone. The Ministry of Roads and Highways plans to prominently display the names, addresses and mobile numbers of the contractors and the supervising officials on the board.
This will enable everyone to identify the responsible persons in case of any problem or defect in the highway. The aim is to improve the quality of highway construction and put pressure on the contractors and officials.
Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari has said that commuters on national highways will soon be able to access essential details, including names, addresses and mobile numbers of contractors and officials involved. Speaking at an event of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), the minister said that the move aims to ensure accountability not only for those managing highway projects in the country but also for the officials concerned.
Helpline numbers will be issued for passengers.
Gadkari’s statement comes after NHAI announced on October 3 that it will install signboards with Quick Response (QR) codes on various sections of national highways to provide relevant information and emergency helpline numbers to commuters. The code will allow commuters to immediately report their grievances to NHAI or the concerned authority in case of emergency.
Roads to be built using 8 million tonnes of waste
Gadkari also outlined a comprehensive plan for the use of recycled waste by 2027. The plan will use 8 million tonnes of segregated plastic waste in road construction. It also includes sustainable initiatives like reusing treated water from treatment plants for road construction. Gadkari said a system will be implemented that will easily scan all the information related to the project, and in case of any inconvenience, it will be possible to identify who is responsible.
Strict action will be taken against those responsible. The minister said that the government is conducting a thorough audit of road projects and will not hesitate to take action against those responsible. He said that the annual revenue of the ministry is currently ₹55,000 crore and is estimated to increase to ₹1.4 lakh crore within two years. He added that monitoring the projects is more important than launching them to improve the condition of roads across the country to world-class standards.
