The Mumbai-Goa highway expansion project has remained unfinished for 17 years, frustrating thousands of motorists and commuters who depend on the crucial NH-66 corridor. What began with an estimated cost of Rs 7,500 crore has now risen to around Rs 15,000 crore.
The 470-km highway connects Mumbai with key Konkan districts, including Raigad, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg. Its poor condition becomes a major concern every year before the Ganesh festival, when thousands of people from Mumbai and Thane travel to their native villages.
The project has faced repeated setbacks, including land acquisition issues, environmental clearances, litigation and contractor-related problems. On Sunday, MNS chief Raj Thackeray visited Raigad and criticised the prolonged delays. Referring to an earlier conversation with Union Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari, Thackeray said, “That contractors got bored and ran away.” He added, “Every time the same issue of contractors comes up, the cost has escalated, the commission has been eaten away and the road condition remains poor. And this has been happening for years.”
The project is being implemented jointly by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and Maharashtra PWD. NHAI is responsible for the 84-km Panvel-Indapur stretch, while the state PWD handles the remaining portion.
Minister Bharat Gogawale said work was progressing and assured commuters that conditions would improve before Ganeshotsav. Raigad MP Sunil Tatkare also said efforts were underway to address poor road conditions by 15 August.
The project, originally planned for completion in 2016, was delayed after land acquisition and clearance-related hurdles. The Panvel-Indapur section was also held up by litigation involving the Karnala Bird Sanctuary. The NHAI eventually terminated the earlier contractor’s agreement in 2021 following delays, with a new contractor taking over in 2022 under the EPC model.
Despite claims in 2023 that 90% of the highway was complete, the Panvel-Indapur stretch continues to face criticism over potholes and construction quality. A newly opened flyover at Nagothane developed cracks after one monsoon.
“At many places, accidents are taking place, and people are dying, cars are getting damaged, and all these things are the same for years,” said local activist Chaitanya Patil.
Government data records at least 97 deaths and more than 200 injuries in 170 accidents on the highway since 2020. Political parties have repeatedly traded accusations over the delays, keeping the highway at the centre of Konkan’s political discourse.
As another Ganesh festival approaches, commuters are once again hoping that promises of repairs and completion translate into safer, smoother travel on the Mumbai-Goa route.
Source: The Print
