Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said he felt "ashamed" over the delays in widening the Mumbai-Goa Highway and announced that he would not attend the project's inauguration.
Gadkari made these remarks on Wednesday after inaugurating a six-lane elevated road corridor at Porvorim near Panaji.
Reaffirming his stance, he said, "I had announced (earlier) that I would not come for the inauguration of the (widened) Mumbai-Goa highway because I felt ashamed that it had been delayed so much."
The minister said a meeting was held on Tuesday regarding the issue, adding that he will personally inspect the highway later this year.
"I would land at the Mumbai airport in October, and travel by road to Goa to personally inspect the highway and assess whether the journey has been made convenient for travellers," he said.
Gadkari Warns Contractors And Officials Of Strict Action
The Union Minister said he wanted to "set a record" by blacklisting contractors and taking action against officials responsible for delays or poor execution in infrastructure projects.
"Now I want to set a record of blacklisting the maximum number of contractors and taking action against them, as well as suspending officials, within a year. I am not going to stop doing this now," he said.
Why Is The Mumbai-Goa Highway Delayed?
The 440-km Mumbai-Goa Highway widening project has been delayed repeatedly despite years of work and significant expenditure. Beyond construction delays, parts of the recently upgraded stretch have already developed potholes and surface damage following the first monsoon rains.
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Commuters continue to face routine diversions, waterlogging, ongoing repairs, and severe traffic jams on the stretch even after toll collection began at the Kharpada toll plaza in May, News18 reported.
Adding to the safety concerns along the route, a monkey overpass constructed in 2021 near the Karnala Animal Sanctuary collapsed.
(With Inputs From PTI)