Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari said on Monday that the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, built 27 years ago, remains pothole-free even today. He also said he was trolled on social media after a recent collapse at the Missing Link, which he described as a state government project, and called for the use of technology to detect road defects before they become major problems.
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Speaking at the ‘Festival of Thinkers’ organised by Symbiosis International University in Pune, Gadkari said infrastructure must be planned with a long-term vision of 25 to 50 years. He linked better infrastructure with economic growth, jobs, lower poverty, stronger industry and wider market access for farmers, and said projects worth around Rs 60,000 crore are planned for Pune.
Referring to the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, Gadkari said, ‘I built the Mumbai-Pune Expressway 27 years ago. It’s still pothole-free, but nobody writes about it. However, when a structure at the Missing Link collapsed recently, I got trolled on social media, despite it being a state government project.’ He added, ‘Guess social media is good for quality control,’ and said the forest department had not granted permission to construct the Missing Link at that time.
In May, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis inaugurated the 13.3-km Missing Link project on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway. The project is meant to bypass the steep mountain pass section, improve road safety and reduce travel distance between Mumbai and Pune. In July, a landslide hit near Tunnel 2 at the entrance to the Missing Link after heavy rain.
Gadkari said modern tools such as drones, artificial intelligence, LiDAR and satellite technology should be used to monitor roads and identify defects early. Recalling the construction of the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, he said he had pushed for an eight-lane road keeping future traffic in mind, but later felt an even bigger vision was needed after seeing highways abroad. ‘When I saw roads in other countries, I thought we should have planned at least a 40-lane road. Recently, I constructed a 40-lane road between Delhi and Meerut,’ he said.
He said infrastructure development is the foundation for economic growth and plays a crucial role in creating employment and reducing poverty. Gadkari also highlighted the link between infrastructure, technology, research, innovation and economic development. Describing ‘knowledge to wealth’ as an important path for India’s future growth, he stressed the need to promote research, entrepreneurship, skill development and technological advancement. He said infrastructure capacity should be planned by anticipating future demand, and that temporary solutions to present problems should be avoided. ‘Roads and infrastructure provide a boost to industry, trade, tourism and employment. Better connectivity reduces transportation costs, increases competitiveness of Indian industries and helps farmers access wider markets,’ he said.
The Union minister also said India’s automobile sector has grown significantly because of advances in technology, electric vehicles, alternative fuels and biofuels, and that it has the potential to create large-scale employment and strengthen exports. He stressed the importance of ‘knowledge with ethics’, saying knowledge must be backed by integrity, quality, reliability and values, and advised students to avoid shortcuts and focus on sustainable success. He also underlined the need to balance development with environmental protection and sustainable economic growth.
On Pune’s infrastructure, Gadkari said projects worth around Rs 60,000 crore are planned for the city and that innovative financing models are being explored to implement them. Overall, he used the event to defend the record of the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, underline the need for technology-led monitoring and argue for long-term, future-ready infrastructure planning.
– Ends
SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
