In a series of tweets, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari informed that presently 173 km (92.42 % of the total work is completed) and while traffic is open on the project, the remaining project will be completed by December 2022.
The minister said the government is actively working towards building world class infrastructure across every corner of the country and leading new India towards an era of ‘prosperity through connectivity’.
Spanning a length of 187 km, Gadkari said the road has Arabian sea coast on one side and Western Ghats on the other side. He said magnificent due to its scenic view, this project is an important coastal highway link between the west and the south.
The minister said the strategic highway passes through a variety of terrains with almost 50% of the length passing through rolling terrain (45 km) and mountainous terrain (24 km).
Aimed at providing a world class road infrastructure experience to travellers, the alignment connects major cities and towns along the way including Panvel, Chiplun, Ratnagiri, Panaji, Margao, Karwar, Udupi, Surathkal, Mangalore, Kozhikode, Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram, & Kanyakumari, he added.
The minister said this highway development has helped in providing a new impetus to economic development in the project influence area with multi-fold opportunities for new commercial and industrial establishments. He said this has led to creation of direct and indirect jobs for the local population.
Further, the project will reduce travel time, prevent accidents, optimize vehicle operating costs and help in fuel savings due to smoother road and reduce congestion for inter & intra state commuters, he said.
