Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari on Thursday criticized the Airports Authority of India (AAI) for the prolonged delay in constructing a 3-km road stretch at Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar International Airport, Nagpur.
Speaking at an event in the city, Gadkari expressed his frustration over the project, which has been stalled for 21 months. “In the first year, AAI issued notices to all airlines, leading to a reduction in the number of flights at Nagpur airport and a 1.5 times increase in airfares. As a result, Nagpur residents had to bear an additional burden of Rs 60-70 crore,” the senior BJP leader and Nagpur MP stated.
Gadkari further revealed that when he inquired about the delay, AAI officials attributed a six-month hold-up to the Maharashtra Assembly elections, citing frequent travel by BJP leaders, including himself and former Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
Slamming AAI’s inefficiency, Gadkari remarked that if the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) had been in charge, the road would have been completed in just three days. “If it takes three years to build a 3-km stretch, how can we expect to improve India’s infrastructure?” he questioned.
The Maharashtra Assembly elections were held on November 20, 2024.