Nitin Gadkari unveils plans for Mumbai-Bengaluru highway

Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari has unveiled ambitious infrastructure plans aimed at reducing travel time between Mumbai and Bengaluru to five hours. Speaking at the ‘Festival of Thinkers’ in Pune, Gadkari emphasized a long-term, 50-year planning strategy designed to create high-speed corridors that bypass congested urban centers. The proposed network aims to connect routes through Surat, Nashik, Ahmednagar, Solapur, and Kurnool to facilitate seamless inter-state travel and reduce logistics costs.

Addressing road maintenance and safety, Gadkari advocated for the integration of advanced technologies, including drones, artificial intelligence, LiDAR, and satellite technology, to monitor road conditions and detect defects early. He also defended the longevity of the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, noting its durability since its construction 27 years ago. Additionally, he clarified that certain recent infrastructural issues, such as those at the Missing Link project, involve state government initiatives and highlight the complexities of securing necessary permissions from departments like the forest department.