MISSION MOBILITY

Nitin Gadkari wants to raise India's roads infra to world-class levels and further the cause of green mobility as the country aims for developed nation status.

- Sourav Majumdar & Ashutosh Kumar

THE VIP HALL or darbar of the official residence of Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari in Lutyens’ Delhi welcomes visitors with striking murals and artefacts that are decorated immaculately on the walls and corners. Although abuzz with activity, the hall exudes an aura of serenity. The entry to the bungalow’s hall is flanked by a vibrant painting of Lord Hanuman with an artistic tome of the Bhagavad Gita below it on one side, and Lord Krishna’s statue, in a graceful dance pose, on the other side. Beside Lord Krishna's statue is one of Lord Kartikeya.

One would, however, be grossly mistaken to deduce that Gadkari draws inspiration only from the Hindu religious or cultural ethos. If he passionately talks about Shivaji Maharaj and his son “Chhaava” (Sambhaji Maharaj) in the midst of the cultural and religious motifs in the hall, he brings in U.S. President John F. Kennedy with equal ease into the conversation.

“U.S. President John F. Kennedy had said that America’s roads are good not because America is rich, but America is rich because of its good roads. I have framed these lines in my office as inspiration,” Gadkari tells Fortune India.

The right inspiration works wonders. And when the right inspiration meets the right individual, it could lead to a magical transformation. And that is exactly what has happened in India’s highways sector. Under Gadkari’s guidance, the sector has witnessed a massive revival in the past decade. Before 2014, the sector faced some tough times—hurdles in land acquisition, funding drying up, and stalled projects being some of the challenges—leading to highway construction of only 5-6 km per day. It has come a long way since; the sector is now synonymous with ultra-mega expressways (for instance, the Delhi-Mumbai expressway), tunnels, and speedy construction, leading to per-day highway construction of about 37 km.