Mumbai: In response to potential threat posed by potholes on the Mumbai-Goa and Mumbai-Nashik highways, the district administration will coordinate closely with the National Highway Authority to ensure safe travel for citizens. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has directed the strengthening of bypasses and service roads on both highways to make them pothole-free ahead of the Ganesh festival.
A meeting chaired by Chief Minister Shinde was held at Sahyadri Guest House to discuss the current status of the Mumbai-Goa and Mumbai-Nashik highways. Present at the meeting were Education Minister Deepak Kesarkar, Sports and Youth Welfare Minister Sanjay Bansode, and MLAs Kishor Darade and Bharat Gogavale, among others.
Chief Minister Shinde emphasized the necessity for safe and comfortable travel for lakhs of devotees traveling to Kokan during Ganesh festival. He instructed that reflective road signs should be installed on the highways, and security barriers should be placed on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway section of Parshuram Ghat. He also directed authorities to clear construction debris from completed road sections to ensure smooth travel.
Additionally, the police administration will take special precautions in Mangaon and Indapur cities to reduce traffic congestion during Ganesh festival. Medical aid stations and vehicle repair facilities will be set up every 10 kilometers along the highways for the convenience of devotees.
The Chief Minister also reviewed the current condition of the Mumbai-Nashik highway. He instructed officials to manage parking facilities for overloaded vehicles parked on the shoulders of roads in the Bhiwandi area to reduce traffic congestion on the Mumbai to Nashik highway. The National Highway Authority and local administration will work together to identify suitable locations for this purpose.
Each project will be executed efficiently and in a timely manner, Chief Minister Shinde assured. He also announced the appointment of senior officials in Thane district to oversee these tasks. Furthermore, plans to reduce traffic congestion on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad highway were also discussed, with relevant authorities receiving necessary instructions.