Officially known as National Highway 66, the long-awaited Mumbai-Goa highway project is finally expected to be finished by June 2025. The timeframe was recently verified by Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari, who also mentioned that the upgraded highway will cut the present 10- to 12-hour travel time between Mumbai and Goa to just six hours once it is open.
The ambitious project, which has seen years of delays owing to land acquisition issues, legal disputes, and inter-departmental coordination challenges, is now progressing at an accelerated pace. Minister Gadkari assured that the bottlenecks have been resolved and construction is well underway. Speaking during a media interaction, he said, “This highway will transform connectivity in the Konkan region. It will boost tourism and economic development along the route.”
In a bid to modernise travel and improve convenience for commuters, the government also plans to implement a new toll collection policy. Physical toll booths will soon be replaced with a satellite-based tolling system, which will automatically deduct toll charges from a vehicle owner’s bank account, based on the distance travelled. This seamless tolling mechanism is expected to be rolled out within the next 15 days.
The upgraded Mumbai-Goa highway is poised to become a gamechanger for regional infrastructure, easing travel for regular commuters and holidaymakers while significantly enhancing economic opportunities along the Konkan belt and western coastline.
Source: Pune Pulse
