Maharashtra Sangli Kolhapur Four Lane Tender Cancelled
A critical upgrade of the Sangli–Kolhapur highway has been thrown into uncertainty after the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) cancelled the tender for converting the existing route into a four-lane corridor, leaving commuters and regional businesses grappling with continued traffic bottlenecks and safety risks. The move highlights persistent implementation challenges in connecting key urban and economic nodes in western Maharashtra, even as balanced infrastructure investment remains central to the state’s growth and climate-resilient transport goals.
The project, intended to widen the stretch between Sangli Fata and Ankali on National Highway 166, was expected to improve road safety and support smoother movement of goods across one of the region’s busiest commercial corridors. However, the recent cancellation of the tender documentation by the NHAI has paused progression at an advanced preparatory stage, postponing anticipated relief for heavy-vehicle traffic and long-distance commuters.For local residents and transport operators, the news is a setback. Current two-lane sections frequently shoulder mixed traffic comprising private vehicles, buses and freight carriers, contributing to congestion and elevated accident risk. Urban planners who track regional mobility patterns note that reliable high-capacity road links are vital not just for commuter convenience but also for linking second-tier cities to larger logistics ecosystems — a foundational element of equitable and sustainable urban development.
The stalled project also comes against a backdrop of earlier funding approvals for the broader Sangli-Kolhapur corridor. In 2023, the central government sanctioned significant capital for four-laning key stretches between Kolhapur and Sangli under the NH-166 designation, recognising its economic significance for intra-state connectivity and freight decongestion. That stitching of transport links was expected to dovetail with other regional highway initiatives, including concrete upgrades on Sangli-Peth segments aimed at enhancing durability and weather resilience.Industry voices point to procedural and land acquisition complexities as longstanding barriers to project delivery. Earlier phases of the Kolhapur-Sangli corridor were delayed by disputes over land compensation and rights-of-way, underscoring the friction that can arise between infrastructure goals and local socio-economic dynamics. Recent reports indicate government efforts to resolve these compensation issues, including enhanced payouts to farmers along certain sections, but delivery on the ground remains uneven.
Transport economists caution that such interruptions have tangible externalities: persistent congestion increases vehicle emissions and operating costs, undermining broader sustainability targets. In Maharashtra’s context, where integrated transport planning forms part of the climate-resilient urbanisation agenda, coherent execution of highway upgrades is essential to support freight efficiency and reduce carbon intensity over time.
For motorists and local businesses awaiting improved routes between Kolhapur and Sangli, the cancellation means another phase of waiting. Authorities now face pressure to reissue tenders and streamline procedural hurdles to deliver a project that has been in planning for years. Timely recommencement will be key not just for mobility gains, but also for advancing climate-aligned, people-centred infrastructure across the hinterland.
