Munish Sood
MANDI: Rajesh Kapoor, a renowned social worker from Mandi and Chairman of the Panna Lal Raksha Memorial Charitable Trust, met Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari to discuss ongoing concerns regarding NH-003 construction, highlighting both past and current issues affecting local communities.
Kapoor began by acknowledging the progress made since his previous meeting with Minister Gadkari, noting that work on the highway had accelerated significantly over the past year. However, he emphasised that persistent problems continue to threaten both quality and safety.
“The NH-003 project has faced repeated delays and substandard construction over the years,” Kapoor said. He pointed out that in the past, many stretches of the highway were left incomplete, road surfaces deteriorated quickly, and certain areas suffered from poor planning and execution. Contractors had reportedly ignored conditions meant to safeguard local communities, such as properly restoring roads affected by hill-cutting or ensuring that debris dumping did not affect water sources.
Kapoor also raised current challenges, including unfinished roads vulnerable to monsoon damage, houses at risk due to careless hill-cutting and large-scale dumping of debris that flows downhill during rains, threatening homes and farmland.
Minister Gadkari reportedly listened carefully to these concerns and instructed the Chairman of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) to take strict action against contractors who fail to comply with quality and safety norms, including blacklisting if necessary. The minister further asked Kapoor to follow up if there is no improvement within the next two months.
Expressing gratitude to the minister, Kapoor said the meeting reaffirmed the government’s commitment to citizen safety and accountability in infrastructure projects. “It is crucial that development proceeds without compromising the safety and well-being of local communities,” he added.
This engagement underscores the growing scrutiny of NH-003, reflecting long-standing concerns about construction quality, safety, and the impact on residents in the region.
