Minister Pulls Up Officials Over Pothole-Ridden Highway

Even Union Minister Nitin Gadkari couldn’t escape India’s pothole woes. His ride on the Betul–Itarsi highway in Madhya Pradesh turned into a jarring experience, forcing him to publicly reprimand NHAI officials. India Today’s ground report reveals how this 73-km national highway, built under the ₹589 crore Bharatmala Yojana, remains a nightmare for commuters — despite hefty tolls and repeated patch-ups. Locals say the road was “fixed” just before Gadkari’s visit, only to crumble again after the rains. With vehicles swaying through deep craters, the highway mirrors a larger issue of poor planning and accountability in India’s infrastructure projects.