Congress demands white paper on Mumbai-Goa Highway works

Mumbai: Considering public ire expressed over a work-in-progress bridge collapse in Chiplun on the Mumbai-Goa Highway, the Congress has demanded that the government should issue a white paper on the highway to determine the shoddy work done on the bridge. 

"If the highway is not completed despite several years and spending crores of rupees for the construction only for such poor quality, then corruption is definitely in the works,” Mumbai Regional Congress Committee president Prof Varsha Gaikwad said. 

"As a result, the Mumbai Congress has demanded that a white paper should be drawn up on the stalled and inferior work of the Mumbai-Goa highway. If they have not done anything wrong, then they should not be afraid," said Prof Gaikwad. 

For several months, there has been a furore over the bad conditions of the Mumbai-Goa highway. 

Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari announced that the highway will be in good condition. "The highway was going to be four-lane. But work on the stretch is going on at a snail's pace. Work has been on for many years yet the condition remains worse," Gaikwad said.

"Even Public Works Minister Ravindra Chavan had announced to bring this road in better condition before Ganeshotsav which ended last month. But the announcement turned out to be one of many false promises," Gaikwad added.