As pothole-related deaths continue to claim hundreds of lives across India every year, citizens are increasingly calling on Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari to introduce a public transparency portal for all national and state highway projects.
Social media platforms have been flooded with appeals to the minister to make road project details, budgets, contractors, and maintenance timelines publicly accessible through a centralized government website. The demand has intensified following several recent accidents attributed to poorly maintained or unfinished roads in states like Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar.
“Every bridge, flyover, and highway project should have a unique ID on a public dashboard, where citizens can see who the contractor is, what the budget is, and when the project is expected to finish,” wrote one user on X (formerly Twitter).
According to National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data, potholes were responsible for over 3,500 deaths in India between 2018 and 2023. Despite significant progress in highway expansion, maintenance and accountability remain persistent concerns.
Gadkari, who has previously emphasized transparency and technology in road construction, recently stated that the government is considering digital monitoring tools to track project progress. However, there has been no official announcement about a citizen-facing portal yet.
Experts believe that a public transparency website could not only improve accountability but also empower citizens to report poor-quality work, helping reduce corruption and ensure road safety.
As India aims for a world-class infrastructure ecosystem, the call for “Digital Transparency in Road Projects” is becoming louder — not just for efficiency, but for saving lives.
