Overview

• On July 7, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar sent a letter to Union Minister Nitin Gadkari requesting immediate repairs on the Pune–Nashik and Nashik–Mumbai highways
• The Pune–Nashik route is dotted with deep potholes that have damaged vehicles, wasted motorists’ time and fuel, and driven up accident rates on a vital commercial corridor
• Dangerous stretches in Kasara Ghat and Igatpuri on the Nashik–Mumbai highway suffer from poor surfacing, substandard diversions and unfinished bridge sections
• Pawar highlighted that toll revenues have not translated into road safety improvements under the existing public-private maintenance model
• The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has received the appeal and now must decide on inspections and the initiation of repair work