Overview

• Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar sanctioned ₹21.9 crore for the Kolad–Mangaon bypass and ordered mission-mode completion before the Ganeshotsav festival.
• A state-level monitoring committee chaired by Public Works Minister Shivendraraje Bhosale has been formed to oversee all remaining highway works until completion.
• Officials must resolve pothole complaints within 24 hours via a dedicated helpline and two special officers have been appointed to address dangerous road defects.
• District administrations in Raigad, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg have been instructed to enforce strict traffic management, ensure emergency-service preparedness and avoid obstructive construction during the festival period.
• Activist Chaitanya Laxman Patil’s 500 km walk has documented over 1,000 potholes and RTI data revealing more than 2,000 deaths on the highway, intensifying accountability pressure on authorities.