Mumbai:
Union minister Nitin Gadkari has said the long-delayed Mumbai-Goa highway will be completed by June this year, which is expected to bring relief to daily commuters and Konkan-bound travelers who have endured years of pothole-ridden roads.
Speaking at an event here on Monday, the road transport and highways minister also reiterated that physical toll booths would be removed across the country soon and the Centre will come up with a new toll policy.
Expressing confidence in the country’s infrastructural future, Mr Gadkari also said, “In the next two years, India’s road infrastructure will be better than that of the United States.” The national highway between Mumbai and Goa is expected to cut the travel time between these places and give a huge boost to development in the Konkan region.
Mr Gadkari acknowledged the many challenges faced in completing the highway.
“There were numerous difficulties with the Mumbai-Goa highway. But do not worry, we will complete the road 100 per cent by this June,” he said.
Mr Gadkari cited legal disputes and internal conflicts over land acquisition as major reasons for the delay.
“There were fights among brothers, cases in courts, and endless complications in providing compensation for land. But those issues have now been resolved, and the work on the Mumbai-Goa highway has gained momentum,” he said.
Highlighting broader concerns with infrastructure development, he said, “Delhi-Jaipur and Mumbai-Goa (highways) are among the black spots in our department. They come with many difficulties. If I were to speak the truth about Konkan, people would not accept it.” Mr Gadkari also reiterated that physical toll booths would be removed across the country soon.
“The central government will soon introduce a new toll policy. I will not speak much about it now, but within the next 15 days, a new policy will be announced. Once implemented, there will be no reason for anyone to complain about tolls,” he said.
The new system would involve automatic deductions from bank accounts using satellite tracking and vehicle number plate recognition, eliminating the need for manual toll collection, he said.
The minister was speaking at Vasant Vyakhyanmala organised by Amar Hind Mandal, a social organisation, in Dadar area here.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
