BHUBANESWAR: Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari on Friday asked road engineers to focus on quality and future-ready detailed project reports (DPRs) instead of bothering about price quotes of tenders.
“When people need heart surgeries, do they float a tender and go to the cheapest doctor?” he said while inaugurating the 84th Indian Roads Congress (IRC) here. He announced Rs 1,000 crore from the Central Road and Infrastructure Fund (CRIF) for the state on the occasion and informed that hydrogen-powered vehicles will soon be introduced on a pilot basis in some states, including Odisha.
Gadkari said, usually, the DPRs are prepared by those who quoted the lowest and there is no technical examination of such reports before tenders are floated. “We need to change such practices and procedures that are creating hurdles in the progress. Perfect DPRs will also help curb road fatalities,” he said.
Expressing concern over rising road fatalities, the union minister asked road engineers to be more sensitive towards road safety. “Road accidents are claiming 1.8 lakh lives every year. New initiative, ownership and correct road engineering can save lives. The focus must be on identifying the black spots and rectifying them. Those who design roads should first make them friendly for the users. The road geometry has to be improved,” he said
Acknowledging IRC’s 90 years of experience in preparing guidelines, setting standards and design practices, the minister urged the apex body of engineers to make it a full-fledged professional organisation with global benchmark. “The government will support in this endeavour. A fast-track decision-making process is the need of the hour if we want to make our country an economic powerhouse,” he said.
Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi said there has been rapid improvement in road infrastructure since Prime Minister Narendra Modi took charge in 2014. The state government has continued its efforts towards the development of ports, roads, railways and air transport sectors. A target has been set to build 75,000 km of roads in five years, he said.
Stating that NH density in Odisha is less than the national rate, Majhi urged Gadkari to prioritise projects of the state keeping in mind the vision of Vikasita Odisha @ 2036. He thanked the union minister for approving road projects worth around Rs 13,069 crore in 2025-26.
Gadkari said the state government should submit proper proposals for approval and facilitate quicker land acquisition and forest and environment clearances. Projects worth Rs 11,000 crore of the state are awaiting statutory clearances, he added.
Works Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan, chief secretary Manoj Ahuja, IRC president Prof Manoranjan Parida, principal secretary of Works Sanjay Kumar Singh, IRC general secretary Rahul Gupta and organising secretary Manas Ranjan Behera also spoke.