NEW DELHI: The much-awaited Mumbai-Goa highway (national highway 66) is nearing completion. Union minister of road transport and highways Nitin Gadkari is expecting to inspect the corridor himself in October.
Speaking at the inauguration of a six-lane, 5.15-km elevated corridor at Porvorim, which is part of NH-66 on Wednesday, he said that the highway connecting Mumbai through the Konkan belt all the way to Goa was of immense emotional and economic significance.
"The delays on the Mumbai–Goa Highway (NH-66) have been a matter of distress. However, the project is now nearly 93% to 94% completed. This October, I plan to land at Mumbai airport, travel the entire stretch to Goa by car, and personally inspect every kilometer of the completed corridor," the minister said.
The elevated corridor, which is a Rs 641-crore infrastructure project, aims at easing one of Goa’s most congested urban traffic stretches and providing seamless movement of vehicles through Porvorim.
The elevated corridor has been built using advanced precast segmental box-girder technology and comprises 87 spans. As many as 1,431 precast segments, weighing up to 120 tonnes each, were erected using two specialised launching girders, each measuring 118 metres in length and weighing 650 tonnes.
Also present on the occasion were Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and Union Minister of State Shripad Naik.
Addressing the gathering at the inaugural event, Gadkari said that infrastructure development has remained a key priority of the Government since 2014. Recalling former US President John F Kennedy’s observation that America is rich because its roads are good, the minister said that infrastructure development had a critical role in driving national prosperity.
The project inaugurated today is an example of world-class engineering and modern technology. It will also ensure seamless road connectivity to the Manohar International Airport and Maharashtra, Gadkari said.
He urged the state government to ensure that top-quality amenities are provided along the highways for tourists. The minister further asked the State administration to prioritize comprehensive green landscaping along the highway and turn the entire stretch into a true Green Highway.
The inauguration programme also witnessed the signing of an MoU between the Public Works Department, Goa, and IIM-Nagpur for traffic simulation, aimed at strengthening scientific and technology-driven approaches to traffic management in the State.
Before the inauguration of the corridor, the minister inspected the Zuari Bridge site along with Sawant and senior officials.
At 13.20 km, the Zuari Bridge is the country’s second-longest cable-stayed bridge. Two 125-metre-high Tourist Observatory Towers, a Revolving Restaurant and an Art Gallery are proposed to be built at the bridge. Gadkari also urged the authorities to complete the projects as early as possible.
With the commissioning of the flyover, traffic movement will become smoother, while saving travel time at three major traffic junctions. The project is expected to reduce travel time by approximately 30 to 40 minutes, providing citizens and commuters with safer, smoother and uninterrupted mobility.
The new corridor is set to strengthen connectivity between Panaji, Porvorim, Mapusa and North Goa, while improving access towards Mopa International Airport and neighbouring areas of Maharashtra. The improved road connectivity is also expected to give a fillip to tourism, trade and economic activity in the region.
