Daijiworld Media Network - Ratnagiri
Ratnagiri, Jun 1: The long-delayed Mumbai-Goa National Highway project has once again missed its completion deadline, raising concerns over difficult travel conditions during the upcoming Ganesh festival season.
Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari had assured during a programme in Sindhudurg in April that the highway project would be completed by May 31, 2026. Following the announcement, officials of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and contractors intensified efforts and claimed that the remaining work would be completed before the deadline.
However, despite the arrival of May 31, several key sections of the highway remain unfinished, making a smooth journey for commuters and Ganesh festival travellers unlikely this year as well.
Major bridge works at Chiplun, Sangameshwar, Nivali, Pali and Lanja are still incomplete, causing inconvenience to local residents and motorists. After Gadkari's announcement, several public representatives and officials had conducted inspections and repeatedly assured that the project would be completed on time. However, contractors have continued work at a slow pace, failing to meet expectations.
Apart from the unfinished flyovers at Chiplun, Sangameshwar, Nivali, Pali and Lanja, road works at four locations between Aravali and Vavnadi in Sangameshwar taluk are still pending. Construction activity in the Beral area of Lanja taluk is also progressing slowly.
The National Highways Department has stated that one-way traffic on the bridge near the Sangameshwar bus stand is expected to commence by June 15. However, if heavy rainfall continues before then, residents may face severe traffic congestion in the area.
With the latest deadline having been missed, concerns have grown that mud and slush will accumulate at several stretches of the highway during the monsoon, creating further difficulties for motorists.
There are also fears that thousands of people travelling from Mumbai to Konkan for the Ganesh festival in September may once again have to endure a difficult and time-consuming journey.
Rajendra Kulkarni, Deputy Engineer of the National Highways Department, said work on the bridges at Chiplun, Pali and Lanja is progressing on a war footing. He added that the Nivali bridge has been completed, while work on the Sangameshwar bridge is also over and traffic is expected to begin within the next eight days.
"We expect the remaining works to be completed within a month," he said.
Criticising the delay, Sachin Chorge, a resident of Chiplun, said the slow pace of construction reflects administrative inefficiency and negligence.
"People are facing serious problems such as dust pollution, dangerous potholes and incomplete bridges at various construction sites," he said.
Former Chiplun Panchayat Samiti chairman Shaukat Mukadam accused the authorities of repeatedly backing contractors despite repeated failures to meet deadlines.
"The assurances given by Union Minister Gadkari regarding the highway project have once again proved hollow. The administration should show courage and take action against those responsible for granting repeated extensions to contractors," he said.
Residents have also highlighted persistent issues along the highway, including frequent traffic congestion between Bahadur Sheikh Naka and Paga Naka, neglect of accident-prone stretches, elevated roadside drains with lowered road levels, waterlogging on flyovers near Vahal Phata and serious concerns regarding rainwater drainage during the monsoon season.