During the 17th CIDC Vishwakarma Awards & Exhibitions in New Delhi, Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari proposed that no new national highway project should be approved without 100% land acquisition. He noted that the current requirement of 90% land acquisition is inadequate and contributes to delays in road construction. Gadkari pointed out that the Ministry of Highways possesses assets valued at ₹15 lakh crore (approximately $1.8 billion USD) that could be monetized to facilitate infrastructure development. He also criticized the quality of highways, attributing the issues to consultants responsible for preparing detailed project reports (DPRs), and suggested that retired officials from the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) should leverage their expertise to improve these reports. The minister stressed the importance of reducing construction costs while maintaining quality in the industry.