Fix traffic woes on Mumbai-Nashik Highway in 10 days or face suspension, warns Ajit Pawar

The deputy chief minister issued the warning in a meeting held to discuss traffic congestion caused by potholes and ongoing work on underpasses and flyovers

Mumbai: Twelve days after HT reported on the woeful condition of three national highways linking the city to the rest of India, Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar on Thursday took a strong stand against traffic congestion on the Mumbai-Nashik Highway. He warned that concerned officials would be suspended if they failed to smoothen the traffic in the next 10 days. Pawar further directed the authorities to submit a proposal to stop toll collection on the highway until the potholes are filled and repairs are completed.

Mumbai, India, July 19, 2024: Heavy traffic jams on Mumbai-Nashik Highway due to potholes and road construction. The condition of the Mumbai-Nashik Highway is poor, with numerous potholes found on the Highway. July 19, 2024. (Photo by Raju Shinde/HT Photo)

Pawar issued the warning in a meeting held to discuss traffic congestion caused by potholes and ongoing work on underpasses and flyovers on the highway at various points, including Asangaon and Vasind. The Mumbai-Nashik Highway is a major route connecting the state capital with northern Maharashtra, resulting in heavy traffic flow.

Manisha Mhaiskar, Rajgopal Devara, and OP Gupta, the additional chief secretaries of the state government’s public works department (PWD), planning department, and finance department, were present for the meeting, along with food and civil supplies minister Chhagan Bhujbal and other MLAs from the Nashik region.

In the meeting, the elected representatives complained about the contractors’ negligence in conducting urgent repair work and filling potholes. They said potholes have developed on the highway due to heavy rains, causing significant inconvenience to motorists. Travelling from Mumbai to Nashik, a distance of 170 kilometres, now takes 8-10 hours, which is double the usual travel time, they added.

“The Maharashtra government will provide all necessary assistance. However, if the traffic on this highway is not smooth within the next 10 days, the responsible officer will be suspended,” Pawar said.

In October 2021, union road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari had announced that his ministry would spend ₹5,000 crore within the next two-and-a-half years to upgrade the Mumbai-Nashik national highway. Gadkari had said that travel time between the two cities would not be more than two hours, and a sizable stretch of the highway would be made of concrete. Nearly three years later, the condition of the highway remains pathetic.