Nitin Gadkari

The government is working to reduce road fatalities to zero and has also identified 100 districts with high accident rates for urgent intervention, Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said on Monday. The government aims to halve the number of road accidents and resultant deaths by 2030. Addressing an event organised by ICICI Lombard, Gadkari said changing public behaviour and enforcing traffic laws remain the country's biggest challenges in improving road safety. "We are working to reduce road fatalities to zero. Authorities have also identified 100 districts with high accident rates and are targeting black spots for urgent intervention," the minister said. The number of road accidents in India rose by 5.3 per cent to more than 5.13 lakh in 2025, with road crashes claiming the lives of 21 people every hour, according to government data. On average, 59 road accidents occurred every hour in the country. "A total of 5,13,563 road accidents have been reported by police

The Bombay High Court directed social media platforms to remove allegedly defamatory AI-generated content targeting Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, while protecting the right to fair criticism

The Bombay High Court directed social media platforms to remove allegedly defamatory AI-generated content targeting Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, while protecting the right to fair criticism

The Bombay High Court directed social media platforms to remove allegedly defamatory AI-generated content targeting Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, while protecting the right to fair criticism

The Bombay High Court on Wednesday granted interim relief to Union minister Nitin Gadkari, ordering Meta, X and Google to immediately remove all the "vile, abusive, obscene and defamatory" social media posts targeting him. A single-judge bench of Justice Arif Doctor issued the direction while hearing a civil defamation suit filed by the Minister for Road Transport and Highways challenging a series of AI-generated deepfake videos and manipulated digital posts that falsely alleged Gadkari and his family received illegal financial benefits from the Centre's ethanol-blended petrol (E20) initiative. "These posts, on the face of it, are abusive, vile, and obscene," Justice Doctor said, adding, "The material on the face of it is absolutely vile and abusive. Such material should have no place on a public platform, which is accessible to everyone, including the younger generation." The bench directed Meta, X Corp and Google LLC to ensure forthwith that the posts are taken down. Justice Doct

The AAP plans a march to the Prime Minister's residence tomorrow as opposition parties step up protests against blended petrol, Archis Mohan writes

India's EV penetration has risen more than 11-fold since FY20, but the country has just 52,718 public charging stations for over 10 million registered electric vehicles

Road Transport Minister says E20 is the only petrol sold at retail outlets nationwide, making separate display of ethanol blending levels unnecessary

Union minister Nitin Gadkari said only some BS-III vehicles made before 2016 may need rubber parts and gaskets replaced when operated on E20 petrol, with no major impact on performance

The Bombay High Court on Tuesday said it would hear on August 5 Union Minister Nitin Gadkari's suit against Meta, X Corp, Google LLC and unknown persons for "defamatory" deepfakes and AI-generated posts uploaded against him over the ethanol policy. The bench of Justice Arif Doctor directed the Union minister's advocate Sandeep Ladda to serve the respondents copies of the civil suit, seeking a permanent injunction against the circulation of posts that allegedly tarnished his reputation. Gadkari, in his plea, sought an immediate takedown of all fake and fabricated content, along with an injunction against the circulation of such content. The senior BJP leader, who is serving as the Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, has claimed that several fake, AI-generated and defamatory posts were available online regarding the ethanol-blended fuel issue. Unknown persons have uploaded and circulated posts and deepfake content falsely portraying him as being personally responsible for

High Court permits Union minister to file civil suit against Meta, Google, X and unidentified persons over allegedly fabricated social media posts

The Bombay High Court on Monday permitted Union Minister Nitin Gadkari to file a civil suit against Meta Platforms, X Corp, Google LLC and other unknown persons over "defamatory" deepfakes and AI-generated posts uploaded against him. The Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways and senior BJP leader had filed a leave petition under Clause XII of Letters Patent, a procedural requirement wherein permission of the court is sought before filing of a suit, when part of the cause of action arises outside the territorial jurisdiction of the high court. Such leave (permission) is necessary to enable the court to hear and decide a suit despite jurisdictional limitations. Gadkari's leave petition came up for hearing on Monday before a single bench of Justice Abhay Ahuja. His lawyer Sandeep Ladda submitted that online platforms have made alleged defamatory and deepfake content publicly available, including to users in Maharashtra. Since this content is accessible here, Ladda argued that

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari defended the Centre's ethanol-blending programme, saying motorists who prefer 100 per cent petrol can buy it, but will have to pay more than for ethanol-blended fuel

Nagpur Police have registered an FIR against several social media account holders for allegedly spreading false and defamatory content targeting Gadkari over E20 fuel

E20 petrol has sparked questions over mileage and engine performance. Here's what Union Minister Nitin Gadkari had to say about the concerns

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Saturday called for deeper cooperation among BRICS nations to build transport systems that are sustainable, resilient, inclusive and future-ready, stating that the grouping's collective strength presents a unique opportunity to shape the future of global mobility through innovation, partnership and shared responsibility. The Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways was addressing the 3rd BRICS Transport Ministers' Meeting being held in Nagpur under India's BRICS Chairship. Welcoming transport ministers, delegation heads and senior officials from the member countries, Gadkari said the meeting is a significant step towards strengthening transport cooperation among emerging economies. India's BRICS Chairship, guided by the theme 'Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability', reflects a people centric, humanity-first approach inspired by the timeless philosophy of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' or the 'world is one family', he ...

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday said technology can help raise awareness and enhance road safety in India, emphasising that adhering to traffic rules and wearing seat belts and helmets may seem simple, but they are crucial in reducing fatalities in road accidents. Addressing an event organised by Uber, the road transport and highways minister further said India records nearly 5 lakh road accidents and 1.80 lakh fatalities annually. "Following traffic rules, wearing seat belts and helmets, sounds simple, but they play a big role in reducing fatalities in road accidents. Technology can play an important role in spreading awareness and making our roads safer," he said. The number of road accidents in India went up by 1.48 per cent to over 4.87 lakh in 2024, resulting in the deaths of 20 persons every hour, according to a recent report by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. The report showed that on average, 56 road accidents take place every hour in the country. "Thr

According to the minister, ethanol has the potential to emerge as a viable alternative to petrol, helping India reduce its massive fuel import bill

The tunnel is designed to reduce the time required to cross the Zojila Pass from around three hours to about 20 minutes

Zojila Tunnel saw the light of the day on Tuesday after a breakthrough was achieved through a blast as one of the most ambitious infrastructure projects in the country, the world's longest single-tube bi-directional bypass at a record height, nears completion. "Breakthrough in the 2.5 metre distance in the tunnel has been successfully achieved," officials said. The breakthrough has brought the decades-old dream of all-weather connectivity between the Kashmir Valley and Ladakh closer to reality. Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari pressed the remote button, blasting the breakthrough site near the East Portal of the tunnel at Minimarg in Ladakh Union Territory. Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah were also present. Officials of the National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) said the breakthrough is six months ahead of schedule. The officials said the tunnel is likely to be throw