NEW DELHI: Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said on Tuesday that the recent controversy over blending 20% ethanol in petrol was a “paid campaign”.
His remarks came a day after the government notified changes to the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, allowing flex-fuel vehicles that can run on blends containing up to 100% ethanol (E100).
“Three months ago, there was a great hue and cry against the E20; now it has ended... It was a paid propaganda… Since 2022, four crore cars and 20 scooters are running on E20. Not a single vehicle had an issue or breakdown,” Gadkari said.
The rollout of E20 petrol has drawn criticism from opposition parties and consumer groups, who have raised concerns about its impact on older vehicles not specifically designed to run on fuel containing 20% ethanol.
Gadkari was speaking at the Confederation of Indian Industry’s (CII) national conference on “Highways of India’s Future: Smart, Safe and Sustainable” in New Delhi.
Addressing concerns over the possible manipulation of Network Survey Vehicle (NSV) reports, the minister said three such vehicles would be used to assess road conditions and measure pavement health along a stretch. He also issued a stern warning to contractors and officials, saying every pothole on the highways would be accounted for and those responsible would face strict penalties.
Gadkari said he had ensured that the road roughness index did not exceed 1,800 millimetres per kilometre (mm/km). A higher roughness index indicates poorer road conditions.
“I know that they will manage the NSV report. So for a road, three NSVs will go separately. And 3 separate reports will be sought… Riding quality was up to 4,000-4400mm. In contracts, it was 2,200 mm. I said that it would not be more than 1,800,” said Gadkari.
In October last year, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) deployed Network Survey Vehicles equipped with advanced technology to detect and report road defects automatically, without human intervention. The vehicles use data acquisition and processing software to measure and report road inventory and pavement condition data.
Gadkari said he had been reviewing every project and urged citizens to report shortcomings on social media so that action could be taken.
“Now the contractors are scared. Now even if a small pothole is noticed, I will take care of it. In the last 3-4 months, I reviewed 700-800 projects. And I got the biggest benefit from social media. And I appeal to people to put whatever problems they see on social media so that the officials cannot hide.... Contractors, officials, and consultants…everybody has been exposed. No one will be spared. It will be a lesson for life,” he said.
Gadkari also warned that contractors or consultants who failed to mend their ways would risk losing their bank guarantees and performance guarantees.
“I will review each project. I am not going to compromise with any project. And now I feel that in the next two years, there will be no problems. When I started reviewing last year, this year the problem came to 30 percent. They will leave contracts. I will forfeit their bank and performance guarantee. I will get it printed in newspapers. Such a condition will be created. There will be no concession for corruption,” added the minister.