India’s Highways Ministry holds two-day Chintan Shivir in Gujarat

Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari inaugurated the two-day "Chintan Shivir 2026" on Monday, at Ekta Nagar in the Narmada District of Gujarat to shape future-ready and safe highway infrastructure.The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways is holding the Chintan Shivir 2026 in Gujarat on October 5 and 6 to deliberate on key issues related to the development and delivery of highway infrastructure in the country.The two-day conclave brings together senior representatives from the Centre, states, implementing agencies and other stakeholders in the highway sector.
Speaking at the inaugural session on October 5, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari said, "Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was the architect of our country's unity. In particular, even during the time of independence, he had envisioned the Sardar Sarovar project in Gujarat for irrigation. Certainly, that vision was in line with the idea of making India prosperous and well-irrigated.."

Narmada, Gujarat: Union Minister Nitin Gadkari says, "Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was the architect of our country's unity. In particular, even during the time of independence, he had envisioned the Sardar Sarovar project in Gujarat for irrigation. Certainly, that vision was in line with the idea of making India prosperous and well-irrigated.."

— IANS (@ians_india) October 5, 2026

The inaugural session is also being addressed by Ministers of State Ajay Tamta and Harsh Malhotra.Road Transport and Public Works Ministers from states, along with senior officials of State Public Works Departments, implementing agencies and other stakeholders, have been invited to participate in the event.The Chintan Shivir provides a platform for Centre-State coordination and facilitates the exchange of field-level experiences, best practices and practical solutions.
The two-day conclave focuses on addressing key implementation challenges and exploring innovative and replicable approaches to improve project delivery, quality, safety and efficiency in the highway sector.Five key thematic sessions are being held during the Chintan Shivir. These focus on PM GatiShakti and integrated infrastructure planning; Land Acquisition and Bhoomi Rashi; Model Concession Agreements and Ratings; Designing Safe Highways; and Quality Assurance and Project Monitoring.The Ministry said the Chintan Shivir is envisaged as an outcome-oriented platform for focused deliberations and actionable solutions.It is aimed at strengthening cooperation between the Centre and states and contributing to the development of safer, higher-quality and future-ready highway infrastructure in the country.

(State Correspondent)