Mumbai: Sanctioned almost 12 years ago to streamline traffic between Mumbai, Konkan and Goa, the proposed 5,55km Mumbai-Goa Highway is likely to be operational by December this year. According to a senior official from the state public works department, the work is underway and the 42km stretch between Panvel and Kasu is 99% complete. The highway is being constructed at Rs44,000 crore cost and is executed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) along with various state agencies.
“We have divided the entire project into 10 packages of which six have been completed. What remains is completion of the tunnel in package 3, of which one side is already operational while the other side will be open to the public by July 15. Similarly, minor works remain to be completed in package 1, which will be completed by December,” the official said.
Once operational, it will take 6-8 hours for the people to travel between Mumbai and Goa. “The stretch has been divided into two packages. While the Panvel and Kasu stretch will be operational soon, the work on the remaining 42km between Kasu and Indapur has been taken on a war footing,” the official said adding, that about 45% of the physical work in this package has been completed.
A senior NHAI official said that the entire highway will be operational by December. Stating that the highway will bring much-needed relief to the people of Konkan, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari had earlier said that the project would be completed by June 2024.
“There were many problems regarding the construction of the project, and all those would be solved soon. The entire stretch will start by June, except the Chiplun flyover,” Gadkari had said during his recent visit to Mumbai.
Meanwhile, residents and commuters said that the state government prioritised the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL) and the Coastal Road project but turned a blind eye to the completion of the Mumbai-Goa highway.
