New Delhi, April 10 Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari stated on Friday that no new national highway project should be approved without 100 per cent land acquisition, as this is a major obstacle in road construction.
Addressing the 17th CIDC Vishwakarma Awards & Exhibitions on Viksit Bharat 2047, Gadkari further said that the Highways ministry has highway assets worth Rs 15 lakh crore that can be monetized.
"Land acquisition, forest and environment clearance are major problems in highway projects. We had made it mandatory that without acquiring 90 per cent of the land, no new national highway projects will be started. Now I think that without acquiring 100 per cent of the land, we should not give an appointed date for the new national highway projects," he said.
An "appointed date" is the formal start date for highway projects, signaling that land acquisition and clearances are sufficiently in place for construction to begin.
Further, Nitin Gadkari reiterated that consultants responsible for preparing detailed project reports (DPRs) for highway construction are the real culprits behind the poor quality of highways.
The minister suggested that retired NHAI officials should use their skills and start firms to prepare DPRs.
A DPR is a comprehensive blueprint for a road construction project, outlining all technical, financial and logistical details necessary for its execution.
The minister said that the construction industry has potential, it should work to decrease the cost of construction without compromising on the quality.