Nitin Gadkari reprimands contractors: ‘Saw the road today, won’t spare you…'

Nitin Gadkari criticized agencies for poor road maintenance, warning that bad contractors will be blacklisted and face forfeiture of bank guarantees.

Nitin Gadkari- Union Road Transport and Highways Minister- rebukes agencies and contractors over ill-maintained roads as he said that good operators would be awarded but bad ones would be "driven out of the system". As per news agency PTI, the minister said, "We will not spare you. We'll ensure that bank guarantees of those doing bad work are forfeited and after this, we will blacklist you, not allow you to apply for new tenders," the minister said.

Nitin Gadkari reprimanded contractors over poorly maintained roads, promising to blacklist those failing to meet standards and seize bank guarantees. (Bloomberg)

The warning came after Nitin Gadkari-noticed the bad maintenance of the Eastern Peripheral Expressway which he took to reach Ghaziabad to inaugurate a tree plantation drive .

During his address, the minister highlighted strides in development of roads and highways made under the PM Modi-led government. Expressing unhappiness over the upkeep of the Eastern Peripheral Expressway, he rebuked agencies and contractors concerned.

He said, “I have used the Eastern Peripheral Expressway after a long time. A lot of work has been done. Now I wish that a lot of people who don't work retire, some contractors get blacklisted and bank guarantees of some are forfeited.”

"The office bearers of associations are sitting here (in the audience at the event), the roads should be well-maintained. I saw the road today, it's very poorly maintained. We will not spare you. We'll ensure that bank guarantees of those doing bad work are forfeited and after this, we will blacklist you, not allow you to apply for new tenders," he warned.

He also said the agencies and operators maintaining roads well will be given special recognition by the government as “those who do good will be awarded while those who do bad will be driven out of the system.”