Gadkari pledges swift action on Mumbai-Goa highway delays and green upgrades
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said he will inspect the stalled Mumbai-Goa highway expansion in October and promised strict measures against contractors and officials.
Speaking at the opening of a new elevated road segment near Panaji, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari admitted feeling ashamed about the delays in widening the Mumbai-Goa highway and said he will travel the route in October to assess progress. He urged the Goa government to create roadside facilities that reflect the state's unique architectural style, food traditions, and handicraft heritage, while also adding bio-fuel and electric-vehicle infrastructure.
Gadkari highlighted the need for scientific tree-planting based on carbon-absorption studies and called for the highway to become a "green highway" or "oxygen park," referencing a similar project he implemented in Nagpur. He emphasized that quality infrastructure is essential for attracting investment, generating jobs, and reducing poverty. The minister also pressed for measures to curb water, air and noise pollution and suggested a comprehensive traffic study, market consolidation, and relocation of warehouses to ease congestion.
