Haldia, Jan. 8: Union minister Nitin Gadkari today asked the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to "change" its "mindset" and advance the target of building a flyover in Haldia by a year.

The NHAI plans to begin constructing the Rs 240-crore flyover across railway tracks in February and complete the project in two-and-a-half years. The Union road transport, highways and shipping minister, who laid the foundation stone of the project in Ranichak, near the Haldia dock complex gate, said the project must be completed in one-and-a-half years.

"Change your mindset. You plan to complete the flyover in two-and-a-half years. But so much time cannot be given. Change your mindset and complete the project in one-and-a-half years," Gadkari said, looking at NHAI chief general manager Ashutosh Gautam. Gautam nodded in agreement.

Gadkari said the Haldia project was not very big and Calcutta Port Trust had given the land. He told the NHAI authorities to instruct the contractors to work fast.

Speaking at the programme before Gadkari, Gautam had said the 1.4km flyover and a 1.2km service road were expected to be completed in August 2018.

Gadkari, who attended the investors' summit in Calcutta later in the day, urged investors to "have faith" in Bengal, adding that a government could earn revenue only if there were investments.

"If industries do not come to Bengal, then you (the people) will not earn. Till the time industries come to the state, the government will also not get revenue. But some people have reservations about investing in Bengal. I am telling them, have faith in the state government. Mamataji (chief minister Mamata Banerjee) has taken the initiative and we are also there. We are all telling you together to have faith and invest in Bengal. If industries come to Bengal, poor people will get jobs," he said at the Haldia programme.