Nashik highway widening faces six-month delay

THANE: The long-anticipated widening project of the crucial Mumbai Nashik highway within the Thane district is expected to require an additional six months, as the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) is in the concluding stages of requesting an extension from the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), officials reported.
The MSRDC, which is undertaking the widening work of the highway between Vadape in Bhiwandi and Majiwada in Thane city, has attributed the apparent deceleration in construction to weather conditions and delays caused by obtaining last minute approvals from the forest department for specific sections, resulting in surpassing the September 2024 deadline.The matter of seeking an extension was discussed prior to the presentation before deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar recently, officials mentioned.
The over 120km long Nashik highway, owned and managed by the NHAI, is one of the most heavily trafficked highways connecting North Maharashtra with Mumbai and Thane. The four-lane, 23 km long stretch between Majiwada and Vadape was entrusted to a consortium led by MEP for expansion into 12 lanes following an announcement by union minister Nitin Gadkari in 2019. However, after the company was unable to proceed with the works, the MSRDC assumed responsibility for the nearly Rs 1200 crore project. Upon completion, the highway will further reduce the Mumbai Nashik travel time.
"We took over the widening project work in 2021 and since then have completed nearly 60% of the widening works between Vadape and Thane. We were scheduled to complete the works by next month, but we encountered delays due to some pending forest clearances required along the route. This has impacted the pace of our work, and accordingly, we are requesting an extension of approximately six months to complete the works," affirmed Anil Gaikwad, vice chairman and managing director at the MSRDC.
Meanwhile, the MSRDC stated that it is working on optimizing traffic flow on the critical road to ensure minimal congestion. However, commuters expressed frustration with the traffic jams on the highway and are eagerly awaiting a swift completion.