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Consultants involved in preparing defective detailed project reports (DPRs) are "culprits" behind accidents and deaths on highways, Union minister Nitin Gadkari said on Wednesday, and warned contractors of black-listing and other consequences for compromising on construction quality. The minister's warning has come amid reports that his ministry is preparing tunnel tenders worth Rs 2 lakh crore to Rs 2.5 lakh crore. Addressing industry body FICCI's 4th Edition of Tunnels & Bridges Conference 2026 in the national capital, the road, transport and highways minister termed the makers of defective DPRs as "culprits" and alleged that consultants prepare these documents with the help of Google, causing loss of life and property. "Such poor-quality DPRs mean that today on roads, 5 lakh accidents occur, and 1.8 lakh deaths, and all have the problem of defective DPRs," Gadkari said. The minister also cautioned contractors against compromising on construction quality after bagging an ...
Flash floods triggered by incessant overnight rainfall damaged the Doda-Kishtwar highway on Monday, disrupted vehicular traffic and buried several vehicles near the under-construction 540 MW Kwar Hydroelectric Power Project in the hilly districts of Doda and Kishtwar. Huge quantities of mud, boulders and debris was deposited on the highway following the flash floods. Officials said that a portion of the highway was damaged, forcing the suspension of traffic. Several vehicles parked along the roadside at Prem Nagar were trapped in the flood debris. However, no loss of life or injuries were reported, they said. Road clearance and restoration work has been launched by authorities, while commuters have been advised to avoid the highway and follow official traffic advisories until the route is reopened. In neighbouring Kishtwar district, heavy rainfall also triggered a major landslide and mudslide near the tunnel area of the under-construction 540 MW Kwar hydroelectric power ...
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Friday announced the launch of India's first Multi-Lane Free Flow barrier-less tolling system at the Chorayasi Toll Plaza on the Surat-Bharuch section of NH-48 in Gujarat, marking a big shift in highway tolling. Gadkari, in a social media post on X, said the state-of-the-art system enables seamless toll collection without requiring vehicles to stop, using advanced technologies such as Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) and FASTag. The highways minister noted that the introduction of Multi-Lane Free Flow (MLFF) marks a major milestone in the digitisation of India's tolling ecosystem and the modernisation of National Highway infrastructure in line with global standards. The system is expected to significantly reduce travel time, decongest highways, improve fuel efficiency, lower vehicular emissions, and minimise human intervention in toll operations, he added. Gadkari stated that barrier-less tolling will enhance 'ease of living' for citizens an