National Highway 17, commonly referred to as NH 17, connects Mumbai-Goa. It passes through different towns, example Panvel, Pen, Kolad, Mangoan, Indapur Mahad, Poladpur, Khed, Chiplun, Hatkhamba (Ratnagiri), Rajapur, Panaji … etc.
Generally highways significantly impacts on local economic growth and development, as well as associated population growth. We should be aware that NH 17 has led to rapid development of Kokan towns and cities along the highway.
Present situation of NH 17 is that it is heavily congested due to increase in number of vehicles. It cannot accommodate any additional capacity because of its width i.e. it has only 2 lanes. The highway need to be modernize as we have to understand that modernization of highway can accommodate additional capacity, increase opportunities for people to travel for business, trade or pleasure and also provide trade routes for goods. Example of modern highway is Mumbai – Pune express way, and we all are aware of development happening within that corridor.
We are hearing about NH 17 modernisation since a decade but there had been any hardly action by the authority. The following are the reason publicized by the authority for the highway modernizing :
- The central ministry of environment and forest has rejected the state government’s proposal to widen the highway because they believe said that widening the highway to four lanes will eat up space in the Karnala bird sanctuary; and
- Issues of land acquisition.
Government should think that infrastructure is required for country’s growth. Our country economy is one of the growing economies of world and to cope with the growth it needs infrastructure. As a Konkani, I am being selfish for my region growth, and through this article I would like to highlight that NH 17 modrnisation is important for our region growth.
Let us voice to government to please push NH 17 modernisation plan. Remember any development in our region will boost our region; the example is with us of Konkan Railway.
According to the information available on NHAI (http://www.nhai.org/implementation.asp), the following part of NH 17 highway has been approved for extension :
- 4/6 Laning of Maharastra/Goa Border - Panaji Goa/KNT Border.
- Panvel - Indapur corridor of 84 km.
What about rest part of the highway ?
6 comments:
I met a highway authority engineer last month in Chiplun. According to him the work of Panvel-Indapur extension has started and they are targetting 2 years for completion. But Indapur-Khed sector is still not finalised. According to him the politicians in the region are not active or selfish and does not care. On the other hand brand new express way won't work as traaffic is seasonal. Most of the accident are happening due to careless driving on new sofisticated vehicles. I see nothing wrond in what he said. All our policticians are have become billionaires and do not travel by this highway often.
I completly agree. We have this situation because of our regional politics and no one really care about it. Even we had many politician from our own region in the cabinet in Maharashtra but non of them have raise any conceren. Forget about 4 lane, we should work togather towards its improvision or to be widen, atleast.
Thanks for comments, I think we should push this matter ahead for our better prospect.
I think its really important to widen the highway to make it 4 lane since it will improve the speed of travelling vehicles and reduce accidents provided there is an additional discipline like the way people have in western developed countries. Also, this will flourish the tourism industry in konkan..have heard most of the people talking about dangerous the roads are in konkan...more political will is also needed..if english and french can build the eurotunnel in 6 years why cant we build a 4 lane highway?
Thanks for the information. Hope devotes will be careful after reading this post.Regards
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