The state government is planning the construction of a tunnel at the Kashedi Ghat on the Mumbai-Goa highway to cut travel time and traffic jams on the busy and congested route.
The state government is planning the construction of a tunnel at the Kashedi Ghat on the Mumbai-Goa highway to cut travel time and traffic jams on the busy and congested route.
How long and wide is the tunnel?
Minister of state for housing, and higher and technical education Ravindra Waikar, who is also guardian minister of Ratnagiri district, said they were planning a 1.72-km-long tunnel at the Kashedi Ghat in Ratnagiri. The six-lane tunnel will cut down on travel time in the ghat, which is a difficult stretch for motorists.
How will it help travellers?
"Even though the work on four-laning the highway is underway, the Kashedi ghat tunnel will be completed on priority. We are making a plan in this regard. It will help cut down on accidents and traffic jams," said Waikar.
What is the cost of four-laning NH66?
The union surface transport ministry has approved the four-laning of the Panvel-Mahad-Panaji highway (National Highway 66). This will be done in three phases: Kashedi to Sangameshwar (100.1 km for Rs1.026.84 crore)Ozarkhal to Rajapur (83.467 km for Rs906.04 crore), and Rajapur to Zarap (98 km for Rs948.36 crore).
Of this, a total 83.205 km section is comprised of ghats.
How much land is needed for widening?
The public works department (PWD) will need to acquire 722.89 hectare of land for the widening of the road, the breadth of which will be increased to 60 metres in rural areas, 45 metres in urban areas and 30 metres in hilly regions. The present width of the highway is 25-30 metres.
Is there any downside?
The widening work will require the felling of over 25,000 trees in these three packages.
Concerns of sand mining
Waikar charged that during his tour of Ratnagiri district, he had detected massive illegal sand mining done though boats and transporting of the sand by trucks at night. He said that the ban on sand dredging had led to such illegal activities, and losses for people who had to buy sand for purposes like construction at much higher rates.
The government also lost out on revenue, said Waikar, adding that he would soon write to chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and request him to revoke the ban. He charged that illicit felling of trees was also underway.
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