Mumbai, Nov. 9 -- Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari has called for clearer signage on Indian highways and expressways, saying inadequate signs contribute to road accidents. He also stressed the need for stronger project preparation, skilled engineers and greater accountability in urban road development.
Speaking at an event organised by economic think tank NCAER and Jana Urban Space Janaagraha in New Delhi on Wednesday, Gadkari said every road should have clear and proper signage. He noted that a world-standard signage policy prepared by him had not been implemented by the National Highways Authority of India, leaving several highways and expressways without adequate signs.
India records nearly 500,000 road accidents each year, resulting in about 180,000 deaths, according to figures cited by the minister. He said he was monitoring social media posts concerning poorly maintained highway stretches and that the ministry had taken strict action against contractors responsible for construction and maintenance.
Gadkari also raised concerns about encroachments on roads managed by the National Highways Authority of India. He called for higher revenues for municipal corporations and long-term planning for public-private partnerships in infrastructure projects.
The minister said urban planning needed to move beyond practices driven by revenue and alleged that corruption had resulted in prime properties being sold at low prices. He further urged integrated planning among road, metro and rail agencies to make better use of scarce urban land and resources, adding that improvements in inter-city travel should be matched by better daily journeys within cities.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Construction World.