Mumbai 23rd August : Under fire from the Opposition over the poor road condition the Maharashtra government on Tuesday announced that repairs are made on “a basis of war” across all important highways that stretch starting from Mumbai to the coast of Konkan in advance of the 10 days Ganeshotsav festival that will begin on August 31.Public Works Department Minister Ravindra Chavan has instructed everyone in the department to pay special attention to the region that sees thousands of commuters from Mumbai going home in the Konkan region to celebrate Ganeshotsav.
The authorities have been instructed to complete repairs, including smoothing potholes, uneven stretches cracks, washed out sections and other obstructions over the next weekend to ensure smooth movement of traffic and to prevent accidents on the highways and roads between Mumbai to Palghar, Thane, Raigad, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg.
Senior engineers of the PWD will be assigned to oversee and supervise the road repairs being carried by local contractors of the various civic bodies, in order to ensure the quality and longevity of the construction, a representative from Ratnagiri explained.
In addition, Chavan said the number of traffic wardens on roads as well as the principal road the Mumbai-Goa Highway will be increased to regulate the traffic and avoid traffic jams that in the past caused delays for commuters who travel in mini-vans, automobiles and tempos, as well as public buses, state of private buses etc.for hours.
The lakhs of people who reside and work in Mumbai are mostly from the Konkan districts.They go to their home towns or villages in the Ganesh festival, with massive traffic movement that is observed throughout the 10 days.
It is possible to recall that certain sections of the highway important and major arterial roads in the Konkan region have been destroyed by the monsoon storm, with shocking photos and videos being shared on social media platforms, in the interim ‘festival movement is scheduled to begin on the weekend.
The inaccessible roads in the Konkan have hindered traffic flow which led to the breakdowns of vehicles, resulting in serious accidents and traffic jams that can need hours to get rid of, causing delays or leaving thousands of people who were traveling.
The first time in the aftermath of the Coronavirus pandemic of 2020-2021 the state government lifted any limitations on Ganeshotsav celebrations between August 31 and September 9 causing euphoria in the masses, particularly in the Konkan region, where the state’s biggest public holiday is celebrated in large scale.
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