Over the past few weeks, a new wave of misinformation has hit social media — one that unfairly targets Union Minister Nitin Gadkari for poor road conditions across various cities and towns. But let’s set the record straight: the roads being criticized online are not built or maintained by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). They are under the jurisdiction of state governments, municipal corporations, and local bodies.
Understanding the Difference
India’s road network is divided into three broad categories:
- National Highways (NH): Managed by NHAI under the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways — directly overseen by Nitin Gadkari.
- State Highways (SH): Built and maintained by respective state governments.
- Municipal and Local Roads: The responsibility of municipal corporations, zilla parishads, and local MLAs/corporators.
The confusion — or deliberate manipulation — arises when videos or photos of pothole-ridden state or municipal roads are shared online with captions blaming Gadkari. The truth is, NHAI maintains over 90% of its highways in top condition, and India’s national highway network has seen a record expansion and modernization under Gadkari’s leadership.
The Real Responsibility
If your city road or colony street is damaged, the accountability lies with your local MLA, corporator, or PWD department, not with the Union Minister. Gadkari’s domain is national highways — the expressways and inter-city roads connecting India’s major metros, industrial zones, and ports.
The recent propaganda toolkit circulating on social media deliberately blurs these distinctions. It’s part of a larger attempt to politicize infrastructure — a move that undermines the factual difference between national and local projects.
The Reality Check
- Over 1.5 lakh km of national highways are maintained by NHAI.
- India’s infrastructure rating has improved significantly in global indices since 2014.
- Gadkari’s ministry has delivered some of the world’s fastest highway construction rates — nearly 40 km/day in recent years.
- State and municipal roads, however, continue to suffer due to poor tendering, lack of funds, and local corruption — issues outside the Union Minister’s control.
Final Word
It’s easy to blame a central figure for every bad road. But responsible citizens must distinguish between National Highways and State/Municipal Roads. Let’s not allow propaganda to overshadow the genuine progress India’s highway infrastructure has made.
Nitin Gadkari is not your city’s municipal engineer. He is the architect of India’s highway revolution.