The long-delayed expansion of the Mumbai-Goa highway continues to face construction setbacks, safety concerns and political controversy, nearly two decades after the widening project was approved.
The United Progressive Alliance cleared the proposal in 2007 to expand the highway from two lanes to four. However, delays in land acquisition pushed the start of construction to 2010, while the original 2016 completion deadline was missed. Regulatory clearances, legal disputes and contractor-related issues subsequently slowed the project further.
The Panvel-Indapur section faced a prolonged legal battle over the proposed widening through the protected Karnala Bird Sanctuary. The National Green Tribunal eventually permitted work within a regulated 10-km eco-sensitive zone in 2015. Progress was later affected by financial difficulties faced by the contractor.
Initially awarded under a build-operate-transfer model, the project was eventually terminated by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) in 2021 over alleged non-performance and land-related issues, despite financial assistance of Rs 5 billion. The Supreme Court upheld the termination, after which a new contractor was appointed in 2022 under the engineering, procurement and construction model.
Although the Union minister stated in 2023 that the project was 90 per cent complete, the 84-km Panvel-Indapur stretch continued to report potholes, cracks and structural defects. The newly built Nagothane flyover also developed cracks after its first monsoon, prompting an enquiry and inspections by teams from Delhi.
Temporary repairs have also drawn criticism. Paver blocks were used on a parallel service road, but the Raigad guardian minister questioned their suitability for heavy traffic and directed officials to adopt more durable repair methods, with work scheduled for completion by August 25.
Government data show that pothole-related accidents since 2020 have resulted in at least 97 deaths and more than 200 injuries across 170 incidents. In 2025, a local engineer and activist walked 490 km from Panvel to Goa to document highway defects and demand preventive action.
With commuters continuing to face disruptions, political parties have traded allegations over the prolonged delays, while demands for accountability and a transparent explanation of the project’s failures have grown.
Source: Construction World
