Nitin Gadkari proposes changes in the method of constructing city roads

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has expressed a desire to bring about drastic changes in the current method of constructing roads in India's cities. After achieving success in highway construction, he has now focused his attention on the development of urban roads, their quality, and fixing the accountability of the engineers involved in their construction.

Speaking during the 'MARG 2026' event organised in New Delhi, Nitin Gadkari emphasised the need to launch a special 'National Mission' for urban roads. He stated that project preparation for the construction of roads in cities should be better. He particularly stressed that skilled engineers are needed to improve road quality and it is inevitable to fix accountability if defects are found in the work.

Gadkari emphasised integrated planning to make the urban transport system more robust. He suggested that there should be mutual coordination between roads, metro, and railway agencies so that there is uniformity in the city's transport infrastructure and citizens find travel easier. He clarified that different departments should work together so that there is no repetition in the process of road excavation and construction.

During the event, the Union Minister also presented some successful models of urban road development. He specifically mentioned the urban road development models implemented in Bengaluru and Uttar Pradesh, presenting them as examples for other cities. His objective is that just as speed and quality were brought to the construction of national highways, transparency and excellence should also be brought to the construction of internal city roads.

According to a report by The Economic Times, Gadkari is now focusing more on the skills of engineers and post-project implementation accountability. He believed that if there is proper planning and skilled manpower, traffic problems in cities can be reduced and the lifespan of roads can be increased. Through this new approach, the government aims to modernise urban infrastructure and prevent wastage in road construction.

Through these proposed changes, Nitin Gadkari wants city roads to become sustainable and of high quality in reality, not just on paper. He emphasised that strict supervision is necessary in the process from the start of the project until its completion, so that a permanent solution can be brought to the problem of potholes on roads in the future.

Nitin Gadkari is a Union Minister of India, who has previously carried out large-scale reforms in the construction of national highways and the transport sector.