If you were dreaming of smooth, pothole-free drives on the new Mumbai-Goa highway this monsoon, prepare to be disappointed. Despite efforts by local residents and activists to secure a smooth road before the rainy season, potholes have already appeared just days into the monsoon.
Ever since its announcement in 2011, National Highway 66 (NH 66) was envisioned as a dream road, promising motorists a six-hour journey between Mumbai and Goa. However, the reality has been far from ideal, with extensive stretches of the highway riddled with potholes, making for a rough and dangerous drive.
Low-Quality Construction and Delays
The quality of construction has been a significant concern from the start. While the second phase of the four-lane highway is nearing completion, with a deadline of December 2024, the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has already had to undertake patchwork on the first phase between Panvel and Indapur. Additionally, almost four flyovers on this stretch are still unfinished.
Chaitanya Patil, a 28-year-old engineer and member of an activist group campaigning for a better NH 66, expressed frustration with the ongoing issues. “NHAI is busy reconstructing or maintaining roads that were concretized just six months ago. We are using social media and email campaigns to force the authorities to fill the potholes,” said Patil.
Activist Efforts and Challenges
In 2015, Patil joined the Mumbai-Goa Highway Dhyeypurti Samitee (MGHDS), an activist group founded by Rupesh Darge. As a resident of Kasu, a village in Raigad along the highway, Patil frequently witnessed accidents. His involvement with MGHDS was motivated by a desire to improve road safety.
Over the past month, Patil and his group have managed to get more than ten potholes filled, including a particularly hazardous spot near Indapur that saw five accidents in a single night on May 20. Members of MGHDS travel the road every Sunday and on holidays, identifying and reporting issues such as problematic signboards and speed breakers.
One of the most problematic stretches is near Pandapur-Haveli, where potholes are approximately 1.5 feet deep and 4-5cm in diameter. Multiple potholes appear every 200 to 300 meters in several locations. An old bridge near Kasu, recently concretized, already shows signs of leakage. “This is the only highway where we don’t have any drainage system, causing water from the roads to get stuck in the farmland, impacting the farming land near the highway,” explained Patil.
Public Awareness and Frustration
Activists are also working to raise awareness among motorists about blind spots and hazardous areas on the highway. Ajay Hogade, a photographer from Mumbai who travels to his native place six times a month, shared his frustration. “We are tired of traveling by bike on this road. Since childhood, I have dreamed of riding smoothly on the Mumbai-Goa highway, but that moment is yet to come. Instead, I now spread awareness about the blind spots and work-in-progress spots,” said Hogade.
Hogade also highlighted the long-standing issue with the Mangaon bypass, which has remained incomplete for at least seven years. “I saw the first pillar of the Mangaon bypass built in 2017. And now, in 2024, there is still no road constructed on those pillars. If the NHAI builds a road on those seven-year-old pillars, how can we expect quality from such constructions?” he questioned.
Official Response and Ongoing Issues
An NHAI official from Mumbai, speaking anonymously, acknowledged the issues. “Last year, during the Ganesh festival, we applied a topping on the wet cement road, which has resulted in the need to reconstruct some sections now. In some parts of the zero phase, our work is still ongoing, leading to potholes in certain areas. Additionally, in some stretches, local residents have halted the work for the past 10 to 15 days,” the official stated.
The ongoing issues with NH 66 highlight the challenges of maintaining infrastructure quality and safety on such a crucial route. Despite efforts from activists and local residents, the highway remains plagued by poor construction and delays, dashing hopes for a smooth monsoon drive between Mumbai and Goa.
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