Devendra Fadnavis, Nitin Gadkari review Rs 66K crore Maharashtra road projects

The state and Central governments are trying to ease bottlenecks in Rs 66,000 crore worth road projects in Maharashtra which cover over 5,000km before the Lok Sabha and state assembly elections due next year.

On Saturday, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari reviewed work on these projects including those under the Bharatmala scheme. Fadnavis asked district collectors to complete land acquisition for these projects by March. Sources said work on the much-delayed Mumbai-Goa national highway may finally be completed by mid next year.

Senior state government officials said the review encompassed projects executed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), public works department (PWD) and Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC).

"The meeting reviewed progress on land acquisition and shifting of utilities. It also discussed how bottlenecks could be resolved," the official added, stating it covered 26 NHAI projects and 71 projects being executed by the PWD and MSRDC.

These highways are expected to have a construction cost of around Rs 66,000 crore and includes 3,508km of projects being executed by the PWD and MSRDC and 1,839 km of ongoing NHAI projects and 540km roads on which work is yet to be launched.

The official said the four-laning of the Mumbai- Goa national highway (NH-66) was likely to be completed between May and August 2019.

"Work on the Indapur- Zarap stretch is on with agencies being fixed for nine packages, except a 13 km stretch in the Kashedi ghat where a tunnel will be constructed. Less land has been acquired only in one package at Sindhudurg," he added.

The total length of the highway in Maharashtra is 471.708 km, including the 84km Panvel- Indapur stretch, which is expected to be completed by May. The Indapur- Zarap stretch, which is 366.17 km will cost around Rs 10,000 crore, including land acquisition. The 21.538 km road between Zarap and Patradevi on the Goa border has already been four-laned.

The 26 NHAI projects reviewed included the Mumbai- Vadodara expressway, and Amravati- Jalgaon- Dhule- Surat, Pune- Satara- Kagal six laning, Akola- Washim- Nanded and Vadkhal- Murud highways.

Mid-2019 target

• According to Maharashtra government sources the works on four-laning of the Mumbai-Goa national highway (NH-66) is likely to be completed between May and August 2019.