MUMBAI: Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray on Sunday attributed the prolonged delay in completing the Mumbai-Goa National Highway to what he termed “political interference”, questioning why contractors had left the project and why land acquisition and other issues had not been resolved despite years of assurances.Speaking to reporters at Mangaon during his Raigad visit, Thackeray said he had earlier spoken to Union road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari about the highway. According to Thackeray, Gadkari had cited contractors becoming “fed up” and leaving the project as one reason for the delay. Thackeray questioned why the contractors had become fed up and “who they got fed up with”, suggesting that the reasons behind their exit needed closer examination.Thackeray also questioned the execution of the project, saying land acquisition should have been completed by the government before contracts were awarded. He alleged that the failure to resolve such issues had contributed to the highway remaining incomplete for years.He further criticised the condition of newly constructed portions of the highway, questioning the need for bypasses if newly built roads themselves were already in poor condition.His remarks have direct implications for motorists from Mumbai and Navi Mumbai travelling towards Raigad, Ratnagiri and Goa. Years of construction, diversions and bottlenecks have meant longer journeys, higher fuel consumption and greater vehicle wear, while monsoon conditions can make construction stretches and diversions more hazardous.The Union government, however, has previously cited delays in land acquisition and other pre-construction activities, besides cash-flow issues involving some contractors, as reasons for the slow progress of NH-66. It has said pending issues were being resolved.Thackeray said he was not opposed to development, but questioned the nature of development taking place in the Konkan. He said local residents should benefit from infrastructure and investment and asked what purpose development served if local people’s land, water and electricity resources were used while benefits went elsewhere.He also raised concerns over the proposed ‘Third Mumbai’ development, saying local residents and young people needed to know what was being planned and whether they were being prepared to participate in the emerging economy. He referred to proposed educational, medical and other institutions and questioned whether young people from Raigad, Pen and Panvel were being adequately prepared for the opportunities such development could create.Thackeray also urged Konkan residents to recognise the importance of their land and exercise caution before selling it. He argued that people risk losing their economic base if ancestral and agricultural land is sold without understanding how future development could affect its value.He alleged that political and commercial interests could acquire land ahead of development announcements. These are political allegations and have not been independently established; they should not be treated as findings of wrongdoing against any individual or company.Thackeray’s intervention drew a response from Maharashtra transport minister Pratap Sarnaik, who said suggestions made by the MNS chief on public issues should be considered.“Raj Saheb is also a politician. If he has made certain suggestions, they deserve to be considered,” Sarnaik told reporters in Thane.Sarnaik acknowledged that the Mumbai-Goa highway had remained delayed for several years but said work had gained momentum under the present Mahayuti government. He said the project had been pending since the erstwhile Congress-NCP government and claimed that the pace of execution had subsequently improved.For motorists, however, the political exchange boils down to a simple demand: finish the pending work and deliver a safe, smooth and predictable Mumbai-Goa journey.The highway is an important economic corridor for the Konkan, carrying local, commercial and tourist traffic. After years of promises, the government’s claim of accelerated execution will ultimately be measured on the ground—by fewer diversions, safer construction zones, better traffic management and substantially shorter and more predictable travel times.
