The Union Minister Nitin Gadkari says said the construction on the Mumbai-Goa highway would be finished by December and Highways’ many works in the state’s Konkan area were held up owing to challenges including land acquisition, clearances, and contractor troubles.
After the completion of highway construction, this will offer a major boost to development in Maharashtra’s Konkan area. He was addressing at the ‘bhoomi puja ceremony at Panvel of the concretization of the Palaspe-Indupur national highway segment and several other roads.
The Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways’ many works in the state’s Konkan area were held up owing to challenges including land acquisition, clearances, and contractor troubles.
He also announced the building of the Rs 13,000 crore Morbe-Karanjade route, which would travel via Jawaharlal Nehru Port and cut the time required to cross the distance between Mumbai and Delhi to 12 hours.
Construction on the Rs 1,200 crore Kalamboli junction and Rs 1,2000 Pagode junction also would begin shortly, he added.
He claimed the much-delayed Mumbai-Goa highway construction would be finished by December this year, which will substantially increase the growth prospects of the Konkan region.
“The Mumbai-Goa highway covers 66 tourist attractions in Maharashtra’s Konkan. It will give a development a tremendous push. It would also enable speedy transit of fruits and other goods the area is famed for,” Gadkari added.
He blamed the contractors who were awarded two sections for the building in 2011 for the delay. The roadway is being developed and expanded into 11 segments.
“But, all difficulties are settled today and the motorway, which also links JNPT and Dighi port, would assist in the prosperity of the nation,” Gadkari added.
He also advised state governments to go in for roads with 6-8 inch topping so that they have a life of 50 years, as well as periodic updating of black areas for proactive correction.
“India witnesses 5 lakh road accidents a year, of which 1.5 lakh are deadly, with a majority of those dying in the 18-34 age bracket. This is upsetting. All measures must be done to limit accidents,” he added.
Gadkari also stated his ministry was deploying satellite-based fee collection on roads instead of having toll nakas that hinder the free flow of traffic.
Maharashtra must explore the viability of seaplane, hovercraft, and water taxi services for the Konkan area, which is endowed with a long coastline, for tourist and transit needs, the Union minister said.
