Press Release

Focus on Quality along With Quantity to Avoid Future Problems: Nitin Gadkari

Focus on Quality along With Quantity to Avoid Future Problems: Nitin GadkariThe Associated Chambers of Commerce & Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) today organized the Infrastructure Conference and Achiever’s Awards 2026. Attending the conference as the chief guest, Shri Nitin Gadkari, Hon’ble Union Minister, Road Transport and Highways flagged delays in decision-making, poor planning and lack of accountability as the main cause behind project delays and cost overruns. “Even small issues like land acquisition and delays in permissions lead to major losses” said the Minister. Taking a stance on quality work, the minister said “Many times, contractors deliver poor- quality work, yet no action is taken against them. The defect liability period remains only on paper. Such contractors must be strictly penalized and if necessary, blacklisted. We must focus on quality of the work along with the quantity of the work. Today, due to social media, even the smallest flaws come to light quickly, making it even more important to maintain quality. The system must ensure transparency, time-bound decision-making and accountability. We must use technology to reduce construction costs, but not at the expense of quality. Converting waste into energy, using new materials and adopting innovation are essential for the future. Perfection may not be possible, but continuous improvement certainly is.” “Stakeholders across sectors should come together, study and reflect on how their work can be improved. This should be a continuous process, through which we can provide meaningful suggestions to policymakers. Everyone must work together with cooperation and trust to achieve better results. We must accept that there may be shortcomings in our work, and improvements can be made by adopting suggestions from others. Sometimes tenders are issued without proper Detailed Project Reports (DPR) and without adequate testing, which later results in the failure of bridges and roads. There should be no compromise on quality. Whatever work is undertaken must be of the highest standard to avoid future problems.” Added the minister. In his presidential address, Shri Nirmal K Minda, President, ASSOCHAM said, “Despite geopolitical conflict, India remains resilient and is making economic progress each day. We are confident that we will be the third largest economy in the near future. India’s infrastructure transformation is entering a decisive phase with highways, bridges and tunnels rapidly driving eco growth, national integration, economic resilience and global competitiveness. The national highways network is expanding rapidly with focus on multi- modal integration, reduced logistics cost and improved connectivity. Tunnelling and advanced technologies such as supervisory control data acquisition (SCADA) enables real- time monitoring, enhance safety and support efficient operation, while strengthening sustainable practices strengthen resilient infrastructure eco systems across India.” Saurabh Sanyal, Secretary General, ASSOCHAM delivering the vote of thanks at the conference said, "Infrastructure is not merely about roads, bridges and highways. It is the backbone of economic transformation, the enabler of national ambition. India stands at a defining moment where speed, scale and sustainability must converge to shape the next generation of infrastructure. Infrastructure development is ultimately about impact on people, productivity and prosperity. As we move forward, we must prioritise continued collaboration between government and industry to fast-track project execution, adoption of technology and sustainable practises to futureproof our infrastructure and a shared commitment to inclusive growth ensuring that connectivity reaches the last mile. " From the Opening Session led by Shri Ashutosh Chandwar, to the industry-government dialogue moderated by Shri R K Pandey, the discussions focus on key issues impacting highways, underground and tunnel construction, moving beyond ambition to the realities of delivery.