The much-anticipated expansion of the Mumbai-Goa highway has hit yet another snag, with the state Public Works Department (PWD) announcing a delay of an additional two years. The project, which has been under development for 14 years, continues to face significant challenges, primarily due to delays in bridge construction, service road development, and other critical infrastructure components.
PWD Minister Ravindra Chavan highlighted that the expansion, which includes 14 bridges along the 555-kilometre stretch, has been impeded by a series of issues. “We aim to complete this work in the next two years,” Chavan assured, addressing the mounting concerns over the project’s protracted timeline. The highway’s expansion has been fraught with complications, ranging from delays in securing forest clearances and protracted land acquisition processes to substandard work by contractors. Of the highway’s total length, approximately 471 kilometres lie within Maharashtra, spanning vital industrial hubs such as Panvel, Indapur, and Mahad, as well as key tourist destinations including Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg.
The project operates under the BOT (Build-Operate-Transfer) model and was originally segmented into 10 packages, each managed by different contractors. Of the 471 kilometres within Maharashtra, the PWD oversees around 356 kilometres. The National Highway Authority of India manages two 42-kilometre sections: from Panvel to Kasu and Kasu to Indapur. Progress on these sections is incomplete, with around 39 kilometres of the Panvel-Kasu stretch finished and approximately 30 kilometres of the Kasu-Indapur stretch nearing completion. However, critical infrastructure like flyovers, underpasses, and river bridges in areas such as Gadap, Nagothane, Kolad, and Talwali remain unfinished.
The expansion delays become particularly evident during the annual Ganpati festival, when thousands of Konkan residents travel from Mumbai to their native villages in the Raigad, Ratnagiri, and Sindhudurg districts. This period often sees severe traffic congestion on the highway. To manage the current congestion, Raigad Police have intensified traffic control measures. Drones are being employed to monitor traffic flow, heavy vehicles are temporarily restricted from certain routes, and additional officers have been deployed at major choke points to alleviate traffic snarls.
