Transport Ministry today asked officials and contractors to use modern information technology tools like Google Earth while finalising feasibility reports, road alignments etc for highways projects under NHDP.

"Concerned over poor quality of roads, Transport Minister CP Joshi today asked NHAI officials and developers attending a meeting on schemes under National Highways Development Projects (NHDP) to use IT tools and take the help of Google Earth for finalising projects," an official said.

Also, Joshi asked officials to resort to e-procurement and e-tendering methods for the road projects, he said, adding that NHAI officials were asked to redress expeditiously complaints lodged by people on Facebook.

Apart from Transport Ministry officials and developers, the meeting was also attended by Planning Commission Secretary Sudha Pillai.

Joshi, as per the suggestions of the stakeholders in the meeting, also asked officials to explore the possibility of setting up an Advisory Board for faster clearance of road projects.

While about 10,000 km of roads are under execution under various phases of NHDP, contract work for upgradation of over 25,000 km is still to be awarded.

The Ministry as part of its endeavour to introduce transparency, is all set to go for a digital makeover and will post all information on its activities on popular social networking website Facebook, as well as map the progress of development works on Google Earth.