Trolling Over Expressway.. Gadkari’s Strong Counter!

Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari shared his views on road infrastructure at the ‘Festival of Thinkers’ event in Pune. He said the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, which he helped build 27 years ago, remains in excellent condition and is still free of potholes. Gadkari noted that the media rarely highlights such positive achievements. He also spoke about criticism and trolling on social media following a landslide that damaged a structure on the new ‘Missing Link’ project. He clarified that the affected section was built under the Maharashtra state government.

Gadkari said social media can sometimes serve as an effective form of quality control by bringing infrastructure problems to public attention. He urged authorities to use modern technologies such as artificial intelligence and drones to monitor roads, identify problems early and undertake timely repairs. Emphasising the importance of long-term infrastructure planning, he said roads should be designed with a 25-to-50-year vision to support economic growth, improve connectivity and ensure safer travel instead of relying on short-term solutions.