Nitin Gadkari Advocates Flexible, Market-Driven Approach for Highway Construction

28 Jun 2024 CW Team

Nitin Gadkari, the Minister for Road Transport and Highways, has emphasised the need for a flexible and market-driven approach in the construction of highways across India. Addressing stakeholders, Gadkari highlighted the importance of adapting strategies that foster innovation, efficiency, and timely execution in infrastructure projects.

The Minister stressed the role of the Hybrid Annuity Model (HAM) in revolutionising the highway construction sector by incorporating private sector participation and leveraging market dynamics. He emphasised the need for seamless execution and timely completion of projects to meet the growing demands of a rapidly developing nation.

Gadkari also underscored the significance of electronic toll collection systems like FASTags in enhancing tolling efficiency and revenue collection. He encouraged further adoption of digital technologies to streamline operations and reduce logistical complexities in highway management.

Furthermore, Gadkari reaffirmed the government's commitment to enhancing transparency and accountability in infrastructure development. He emphasised the importance of creating an enabling environment that promotes innovation and attracts investments in the sector.

The Minister's call for a market-driven approach aims to accelerate India's infrastructure growth trajectory, ensuring robust connectivity and economic development across the country. By fostering a conducive environment for private sector participation and technological advancements, Gadkari envisions a future-ready highway network that meets global standards of efficiency and sustainability.

Infrastructure Transport

07 Apr 2026

Tunnelling Begins for Thane, Borivali twin tunnel project

Tunnelling work has commenced for the 11.84-km Thane–Borivali Twin Tunnel, set to be India’s longest urban road tunnel, marking a key milestone in Mumbai’s infrastructure development.As per a post shared by Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority on social media platform X, the tunnel boring machine (TBM) ‘Nayak’—the country’s largest single-shield hard rock TBM for an urban tunnel—was launched by Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday. The event was attended by Eknath Shinde and Sunetra Pawar, among other dignitaries. A second TBM, ‘Arjuna’, is expected to be launched so..

Large Format Store Planned At M G Road Metro Station

M G Road station in Bengaluru is set to host the city’s first large-format commercial and experience space, with planning led by Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited. BMRCL has invited proposals to develop and operate a central business district destination at the Purple?Pink Line interchange. The plan positions the station as a commercial hub designed to serve a broad commuter base across the city. The proposal is part of a broader effort to activate transit nodes commercially. Tender documents set a minimum monthly rental of Rs 0.944 million (mn), inclusive of GST, for the large-format..

Government Cancels Auction Of Eleven Critical Mineral Blocks

The government has cancelled the auction of 11 critical and strategic mineral blocks after receiving a poor investor response and failing to attract a sufficient number of qualified bidders. The decision represents a setback to plans to ramp up domestic exploration and production of critical minerals amid global supply chain disruptions and rising demand for materials used in clean energy and advanced technologies. The mines ministry issued an annulment notice setting out the reasons for the cancellations. The annulment notice indicated that the auction process for five mineral blocks was canc..