For the first time, the Road Transport Ministry has instructed the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and highway developers to create their own YouTube channels and regularly upload videos of highway projects, reports The Times of India. The move aims to bring more transparency and accountability to India’s rapidly expanding 1.46 lakh km highway network under the Bharatmala Pariyojana by encouraging citizen participation and feedback.
Road Transport Secretary V Umashankar directed NHAI to begin posting project videos to invite public comments. Speaking at a Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) event, he said many issues and updates about ongoing projects often surface through videos shared by independent YouTubers. He added that the ministry plans to make uploading project videos a part of the contract terms for future projects.
Officials noted that contractors already submit drone-shot videos during the construction phase to highway agencies, so making them public would not pose any difficulty. The goal is to make road development more transparent and to ensure higher accountability among developers and government bodies.
At the same event, Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari announced that highway sites will soon have hoardings with QR codes that commuters can scan to access details of the contractor and officials in charge, including their contact information. He also urged officers to act promptly when citizens complain about poor roads on social media, stressing that ownership, sincerity, and responsibility must be maintained throughout the road construction process.
