Maha minister orders special audit of work done on Mumbai-Goa Highway

Maharashtra Minister Ravindra Chavan on Sunday said he has ordered a special audit of the work done on the Mumbai-Goa Highway in the last 12 years and reason for the delay in the project.

The PWD minister's announcement has come a day after he got stuck in traffic for more than two hours on the highway while inspecting the ongoing repair work on the route.

The Navi Mumbai traffic police has banned the movement of heavy vehicles on Mumbai-Goa highway from Sunday till the end of the Ganesh festival to be held next month.

Talking to reporters after an event in Dombivili town, Chavan said Rs 4,500 crore have been disbursed for the project, but under some pretext the work has been delayed.

A special audit will be conducted on the work done on the project over the last 12 years, he said.

The work on the highway will be completed by end of this year, Chavan said, adding that a lane of the highway will be opened for people from Konkan who are travelling for the upcoming Ganesh festival.

Activists from the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) carried out an agitation and vandalised properties, which was uncalled for, the minister said.

Instead of discussing why the project has been delayed, people of Konkan should help the government complete the project, he said.