BackNitin Gadkari inspects construction of Mumbai-Goa highway; shares pics
The Mumbai-Goa highway has been divided into 10 packages from Indapur to Zarap. The total revised cost of these 10 packages is ₹15,566 crore and the work of four-dreading of 250 km stretch of 356 km highway has been completed, the minister said.
PremiumUnion Minister Nitin Gadkari on 30 March inspected the construction of Mumbai-Goa highway 66. The minister has said that work of the highway will be completed by December 2023.
The Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways in a series of tweet shared an update of the project. He said, "The Mumbai-Goa highway has been divided into 10 packages from Indapur to Zarap. The total revised cost of these 10 packages is ₹15,566 crore and the work of four-dreading of 250 km stretch of 356 km highway has been completed."
Out of these, two packages (P-9, P-10) in Sindhudurg district are almost 99 percent complete. There are total 5 packages in Ratnagiri district and out of these 2 packages (P-4, P-8) 92 percent and 98 percent work has been completed respectively. Rest of the work is in progress."
“For two packages (P-6, P-7) the stalled works have been resumed by appointing a new contractor. Out of three packages in Raigad district, two packages (P-2, P-3) have completed 93 percent and 82 percent respectively. More than half of the work on package (P-1) has been completed and the remaining work will be completed soon," he said.
The minister also added that issues like land acquisition process, delay in distribution of land acquisition compensation and approval of forest land led to the delay in completion of the construction, however, he added that the work is now progressing.
While attending a ceremony, the minister also said Mumbai to Goa National Highway 66 is a highway connecting major tourist destinations in Konkan and will be a major boost to tourism development.
As this road connects major industrial areas, it will also boost industrial development. Also agriculture, horticulture transport will be facilitated and business will be boosted. Improved road safety system will reduce the number of accidents. These projects will play an important role in the trade growth and comprehensive progress of not only the district, the state but also the country, he added.
The minister was speaking at the 'bhoomi pujan' ceremony in Panvel of the concretisation of the Palaspe-Indupur national highway stretch and some other routes.
He further announced the construction of the ₹13,000 crore Morbe-Karanjade road, which will go through Jawaharlal Nehru Port and reduce the time needed to cover the distance between Mumbai and Delhi to 12 hours.
Work on the ₹1,200 crore Kalamboli junction and ₹1,200 crore rpt ₹1,200 crore Pagode junction too will begin soon, he said.
He also asked 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 spots for proactive rectification.
"India sees 5 lakh road accidents a year, of which 1.5 lakh are fatal, with many of those dead in the 18-34 age group. This is distressing. All efforts must be taken to curb accidents," he said.
Gadkari also said his ministry was in the process of introducing satellite-based fare collection on highways instead of having toll nakas that obstruct free flow of traffic.
Maharashtra must study the feasibility of seaplane, hovercraft and water taxi systems for the Konkan region, which is blessed with a long coastline, for tourism and transport purposes, the Union minister said.
(With inputs from PTI)
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