‘Unable to get an appointment, sir’: Priyanka Gandhi folds hands as Nitin Gadkari responds politely

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu) – During Question Hour in the Lok Sabha today, an interesting and cordial exchange took place between Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi and Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari. Priyanka Gandhi said that she had been requesting time from the minister since June to discuss issues related to her Lok Sabha constituency. To this, Nitin Gadkari smilingly replied, "Come after Question Hour, or at any time."

Gadkari said his door was always open and no appointment was necessary. Priyanka Gandhi greeted the minister with folded hands, prompting a smile and a positive atmosphere in the House.

Then, responding to Priyanka Gandhi's question, Nitin Gadkari elaborated on the challenges of road construction in the Himalayan region. He said that almost every region in the Himalayas faces similar problems, especially frequent landslides. He explained that in many places, contractors have had to abandon work due to this.

Gadkari told the House that India has signed an agreement with Switzerland to address this problem and that 84 landslide-prone locations in the Himalayan region, including Himachal, have been identified. Work using special technology has already begun at these locations.

The Minister said that he had previously believed the Himalayas meant strong mountains, but in reality, many areas have a high soil structure, which increases the challenge. He assured that efforts are being made to address this problem rapidly using modern technology. Nitin Gadkari also said that with the completion of road and tunnel projects, the distance from Chandigarh to Manali can now be covered in three and a half hours. He said that many tunnels and roads have been built, and connectivity in the Himalayan regions has improved significantly.