Opposition leaders in the Lok Sabha on Monday praised the work of Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari while participating in the debate on Demand for Grants for the Transport Ministry but flagged some concerns over the quality of roads, maintenance and the alleged lack of transparency in toll collection.
Some members, including BJP member from Arunachal Pradesh Tapir Gao and Darjeeling representative Raju Bista, urged the government to speed up the construction of border roads in the northeastern States, including an alternative highway from Siliguri to Darjeeling.
Revolutionary Socialist Party’s N.K. Premachandran objected to the absence of Mr. Gadkari during the discussion on demands for grants for his Ministry. He noted that Mr. Gadkari was doing a good job but pointed out that parliamentary ethics demanded that the Minister, who was seeking the Lok Sabha’s approval for spending ₹1.9 lakh crore during 2022-23, should be present.
