The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) is reportedly considering a 500-km long Greenfield Konkan expressway. The authorities have submitted a request to appoint consultancy services for this project and offer a detailed feasibility report on the same.
Vice-Chairman and Managing Director of the MSRDC, Radheshyam Mopalwar told Hindustan Times that, “The consultant will be expected to look at the feasibility of the project along with the social and environmental impact. It will also propose a financial model that can be adopted.”
Back in March, the State Urban Development Minister talked about plans for a Greenfield expressway that would connect Raigad, Ratnagiri, and Sindhudurg. This coastal highway project is expected to be crucial in providing connectivity for essential goods and services between the three districts.
The construction of this expressway will begin from the location where the under-construction MTHL (Mumbai Trans Harbour Link) sea bridge ends near Chirle in Raigad. Starting at this location, the expressway will reportedly stretch all the way until the Goa-Maharashtra border at Sindhudurg.
Also Read - MSRDC To Construct A 24-KM Road To Connect The Expressway To JNPT
This is expected to reduce the stress on the Mumbai-Goa highway, and also provide a boost to state tourism, the authorities added. However, transport experts believe that massive infrastructure projects should not be carried out without ample justification.
Transport expert Paresh Rawal in conversation with Hindustan Times on this issue communicated that the Konkan railway line hasn’t yet been used to its full potential, so the government and the MSRDC need to provide better reasoning for this proposed Greenfield-Konkan highway.
It’s no secret that the coronavirus lockdown has put a halt on several infrastructure projects across Maharashtra. However, labourers are now back at work on projects with lockdown restrictions eased to a certain extent for workers.
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