The four-laning of the Indapur-Zarap stretch of NH-66 in Maharashtra has seen a sharp increase in its sanctioned cost, with expenditure on the project continuing even as parts of the highway remain unfinished.
According to a Right to Information (RTI) response from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, the 10 four-laning packages covering 355 km were initially approved at Rs 11,409.14 crore. Their revised sanctioned cost has now reached Rs 16,909.22 crore, an increase of Rs 5,500.08 crore, or nearly 48%.
Around Rs 11,577 crore has already been spent, surpassing the original sanctioned amount. The largest increase among the cited packages is the Parshuram Ghat-Arawali section in the Chiplun-Ratnagiri belt, where the cost has risen from Rs 983 crore to Rs 2,226 crore, representing an increase of about 126%.
The RTI information was obtained by Jeetendra Ghadge of The Young Whistleblowers Foundation. The ministry cited land acquisition, pre-construction activities, statutory clearances and “contractor financial difficulties” among the reasons for delays.
The 355-km Indapur-Zarap corridor is being executed through Maharashtra PWD for the road transport ministry, while the separate 84-km Panvel-Indapur section is under NHAI.
The revised figures translate to an average sanctioned cost of around Rs 47.6 crore per km, compared with approximately Rs 32.1 crore per km under the original approval.
The cost escalation is particularly notable in the hilly Parshuram Ghat section, where road construction involves challenging terrain and can require excavation, slope stabilisation, retaining structures and specialised machinery.
The latest figures also indicate that roughly Rs 5,332 crore remains within the revised sanctioned allocation against the spending recorded so far.
For commuters, however, the key concern remains the pace of construction. The Mumbai-Goa highway is an important road link to the Konkan region, but incomplete stretches and construction activity continue to affect journeys.
The RTI response does not provide a fresh completion timeline for all 10 packages. Further clarity on package-wise costs, revised deadlines and any contractor-related changes will be important in determining when the expanded highway will finally deliver more consistent connectivity between Mumbai and the Konkan region.
Source: Desi Machines
