Raj Thackeray blames political interference for Mumbai-Goa highway delay

The Story in Brief

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray on Sunday blamed political interference for the prolonged delay in completing the Mumbai-Goa National Highway. Speaking at Mangaon, he said Union minister Nitin Gadkari had told him contractors 'became fed up' and left the project. Thackeray questioned why land acquisition was not completed before contracts were awarded, and alleged that newly built portions of the highway were already in poor condition. He urged Konkan residents not to sell ancestral land hastily, warning that political and commercial interests might acquire it ahead of development announcements.

Maharashtra transport minister Pratap Sarnaik responded by saying Thackeray's suggestions 'deserve consideration'. Sarnaik acknowledged the highway had been delayed for years but said work had gained momentum under the present Mahayuti government, blaming the earlier Congress-NCP regime for the backlog. For thousands of daily commuters between Mumbai and Goa, the political exchange changes little: they continue to face long journeys, diversions, and hazardous construction stretches.