Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari has expressed strong displeasure over the prolonged delay in completing the Mumbai-Goa Highway, saying he feels “ashamed” that the project has remained unfinished years beyond its original deadline.
Speaking at the inauguration of a six-lane elevated corridor at Porvorim in North Goa on Wednesday, Gadkari said he would not attend the inauguration ceremony of the widened Mumbai-Goa Highway when the project is eventually completed. He also announced plans to personally inspect the route in October.
Mumbai-Goa Highway Is 93–94% Complete
According to the latest assessment shared by Gadkari, around 93–94% of the Mumbai-Goa Highway project has been completed. The minister said he was briefed about the progress during a meeting held a day before the Porvorim event.
Gadkari said he plans to land at Mumbai airport in October and travel by road to Goa to assess the condition of the highway himself. He wants to check not only the completion status but also whether the upgraded corridor has actually made travel easier for motorists.
The widening project was launched in 2011 to convert the existing two-lane route into a four-lane highway. The project was originally targeted for completion in 2016 but has faced repeated delays.
Why the Project Has Taken So Long
The Mumbai-Goa Highway runs through Maharashtra’s Konkan region and is an important road link between Mumbai and Goa.
The project has been held up by a combination of issues over the years, including land acquisition, clearances and problems associated with project execution and contractors. Several stretches have continued to face construction-related work even as major portions have opened to traffic.
The prolonged delays have been particularly significant because the highway is heavily used during holiday periods and the annual Ganesh festival, when traffic between Mumbai and the Konkan region increases sharply.
Gadkari Threatens Strict Action Against Contractors
Gadkari said he wanted his ministry to set a record for taking action against contractors responsible for delayed or poor-quality infrastructure work.
He said he wanted the ministry to blacklist or debar the maximum possible number of contractors responsible for such failures and also take action against officials found responsible for delays or poor execution.
The comments reflect the minister’s broader push for greater accountability in highway construction, particularly over quality and project timelines.
103 Contractors Penalised or Blacklisted
Gadkari had already told Parliament in July that 103 contractors and concessionaires were blacklisted or penalised between 2023-24 and 2025-26 over poor-quality execution of National Highway construction works.
The parliamentary response also revealed that 629 of 1,191 National Highway projects under construction had exceeded their original completion schedules. The government did not provide project-specific reasons for all of those delays in the response.
This data provides a wider context to Gadkari’s latest remarks about contractors and project monitoring.
Road Quality Remains a Concern
The Mumbai-Goa corridor has also faced criticism over road quality. Reports of potholes, surface damage, waterlogging, repairs and traffic disruptions have emerged on different stretches.
The concerns have added pressure on authorities because completing a highway on paper is not enough if sections deteriorate soon after opening.
Gadkari has said that his October inspection will give him an opportunity to assess the highway directly rather than relying only on project reports.
Porvorim Corridor Opens in Goa
Gadkari’s remarks came while inaugurating a 5.15-km six-lane elevated corridor at Porvorim, near Panaji.
The elevated road is designed to ease congestion on one of North Goa’s busiest stretches and improve movement between Panaji, Mapusa and destinations including the Mopa airport corridor.
The newly opened infrastructure is separate from the controversy surrounding the delayed completion of the wider Mumbai-Goa Highway project, although both form part of the broader NH-66 connectivity network.
For now, Gadkari has made it clear that completion of the Mumbai-Goa Highway will be followed by a close inspection of its actual condition — and that contractors and officials responsible for poor execution could face further action.
