Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari says he feels “ashamed” over prolonged delays in widening the Mumbai-Goa highway and says he will not attend the road’s inauguration. The comments come as Gadkari inaugurates a six-lane elevated road corridor at Porvorim near Panaji in Goa.
Gadkari links his decision to the extensive time taken to complete the Mumbai-Goa widening work, and says he announced earlier that he would skip the inauguration for that reason. He says he plans to land at Mumbai airport in October and then travel to Goa by road to inspect the highway himself and assess whether the journey for motorists has improved.
Across outlets, the core points remain consistent: Gadkari calls the delay “shameful,” reiterates he will not participate in the inauguration, and outlines an October on-the-ground inspection. Reporting also agrees that he warns of strict action against contractors and officials connected to delays and alleged poor-quality work, including blacklisting contractors and suspending officials, with targets set for action within a year. One outlet emphasizes he is speaking after the Goa inauguration, while others focus primarily on his pledge to inspect the upgraded road in October.
