Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari on Monday chaired a high-level review of National Highway works in Karnataka and Kerala, focusing on construction quality, maintenance standards and monsoon preparedness after receiving feedback through media reports and social media platforms.
The meeting, held in New Delhi, covered a large stretch of highway assets in the two southern states. Officials reviewed progress on 7,926 km of National Highways in Karnataka, along with 1,513 km spread across 61 National Highway projects in Kerala.
According to an official statement, the minister directed agencies to speed up ongoing works while maintaining strict quality benchmarks. He also called for wider use of modern engineering methods and advanced technologies to build more durable and efficient highway infrastructure.
Gadkari stressed that timely project delivery remains critical, particularly on strategic corridors carrying heavy passenger and freight traffic. He asked officials to strengthen supervision systems so that workmanship standards are maintained across all active sites.
Special emphasis was placed on improving road surface quality, increasing asset life and ensuring smoother travel conditions for commuters. The minister also underlined the importance of uninterrupted connectivity on major highway routes, especially during the upcoming rainy season.
With the monsoon approaching, Gadkari instructed departments to complete preventive measures in advance. These include drainage clearance, water flow management, slope stabilisation in vulnerable stretches and rapid-response systems to deal with landslides, flooding or road damage.
