Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari’s proposal to use GST records to track layers of subcontracting in highway projects and limit the extent of outsourcing is a welcome move. The problem he identified is particularly relevant to Nagaland, where road construction and maintenance have long been plagued by poor quality and premature deterioration.
In Nagaland, the question, however, is not merely what the rules will say, but who will enforce them.
Too many newly constructed roads struggle to survive even a single monsoon season. While the state’s difficult terrain and heavy rainfall undoubtedly make road construction challenging, they cannot become permanent excuses for roads that deteriorate soon after completion. Poor workmanship, inadequate materials, weak supervision and failures in maintenance all deserve scrutiny.
There are also deeper problems. Corruption, multiple layers of contracting and alleged extortion can increase project costs while reducing the money ultimately reaching the road itself. When contractors are compelled to absorb costs unrelated to construction, the temptation to cut corners can become even greater.
Nagaland’s financial limitations make the issue more complicated. The state government simply does not possess the resources required to independently build and maintain a modern road network across its difficult terrain. Much of the state’s major road infrastructure therefore depends on Central funding and agencies such as the National Highways Authority of India.
This makes enforcement especially important. If the Centre is financing a project, it should not merely sanction funds and inspect paperwork. It must establish a robust system of independent quality monitoring, preferably with geo-tagged inspections, material testing and publicly accessible progress records. GST data could help reveal who actually executes the work, but physical inspection must establish whether that work meets specifications.
Most importantly, the principal contractor must remain accountable for the finished road, regardless of how many subcontractors stand behind it.
Nagaland does not need more roads that look impressive at inauguration and crumble under the first serious monsoon. It needs a system in which every rupee spent can be traced, every contractor can be identified, every layer of subcontracting is visible, and every failure has a consequence.
Good roads are not merely infrastructure. In a state where geography already imposes enormous economic costs, they are an essential public investment.