Nitin Gadkari Gives Dressing Down To NHAI Officials Over Work Culture, Gives Damning Indictment Of Bureaucracy

Union Road Transport and Highway Minister Nitin Gadkari gave a long dressing down to officials of National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) for a big delay in constructing their new office and at the same time highlighted the issues plaguing NHAI and the Indian bureaucracy in general.

While speaking at the virtual inauguration ceremony Gadkari said that while it is a norm to congratulate people after the successful completion of a work but he is finding it hard to do so.

"In 2008 it was decided to build the building and a tender was awarded in 2011. This Rs 200-250 crore work was completed today and its completion needed two governments and eight chairman", said Gadkari.

"Jin mahan hastiyon ne 2011 se 2020 tak ispe kaam kiya hai, to sambhav hua to un sab CGM aur GM ke photos is office mein zarur laga dena jinhone is kaam ko nau saal is kaam ko keval nirnay na karne deri ki (If possible please hang the photographs of all the CGMs and GMs who delayed this work for nine years thanks to their indecisiveness)", Gadkari added sarcastically.

Gadkari said that negative bureaucrats who are known for their indecisiveness and tendency to create complications are latched on to NHAI for the past 12-13 years and they become guide and philosophers of Chairmen.

"Ye CHM aur GM ki parampara kitni nikammi aur nalayak hai iska udharan is building ke delay mein hua hai (the worthless and unworthy attitude of CGMs and GMs has come to the fore in the delay in constructing this building)", said Gadkari.

Gadkari also said that NHAI need to reform itself and claimed that the recruitment process itself is faulty. He added that NHAI fails to retain top engineers from IITs and unworthy candidates remain in the organisation and get promoted to the levels of Chief General Managers.

Gadkari added that in many cases the NHAI officials failed to pay heed to the advise of the Ministry and in that process lost hundreds of crores. He claimed that non-efficient and non-performing human resources are nurtured and helped to grow in NHAI.

Gadkari said that he has now made it his life's target to terminate and suspend non-performing individuals.

"In our organisation we treat donkeys and horses alike and we need to identify them and send non-useful people to other government departments where such people keep getting promotions till the end along with great CR (confidential report) scores", said Gadkari.

Gadkari again reiterated that the system which breeds such non-performing, totally negative people who keep making delays by forming committees, needs to be demolished.

Gadkari also sarcastically asked NHAI officials to write a book on the 11 year history of the office's construction with a special mention of those who caused the delays.

Gadkari said that he is here to get work done and added that he wants to personally take action against non-performing officials.

"Mantri ne baar baar samjhane ke baad bhi akal nahin aati to inko nikal ke bahar phenkna cahiye (if they fail to mend their ways even after repeated prodding by the minister then they deserve to be kicked out)", said Gadkari.