Nitin Gadkari Says He Is “Ashamed” Over Mumbai-Goa Highway Delay, Will Skip Inauguration

September 10, 2026

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Thursday expressed strong displeasure over the prolonged delay in completing the Mumbai-Goa National Highway, saying it was unfortunate that the project took 16–17 years to finish. Gadkari said he felt embarrassed about the delay and made it clear that he would not attend the highway’s inauguration.

Gadkari Warns Of Action Against Contractors, Officials

Gadkari raised the issue while inaugurating a six-lane elevated corridor in Parwari, Goa. He said the Mumbai-Goa highway project had been under construction for a very long time and that several contractors had failed to complete their work.

He said his ministry had achieved several records globally, but he now wanted to take strict action against poor-performing contractors and negligent officials.

“My department has had seven world records so far, but now I want to set another one—the record for blacklisting and debarring the most contractors and suspending the most officers in one year,” he said.

Gadkari added that negligence would no longer be tolerated.

Mumbai-Goa Highway About 90–95% Complete

According to Gadkari, the Mumbai-Goa highway is now around 90–95 per cent complete. He said a meeting had recently been held regarding the project and that he would personally travel from Mumbai to Goa by road in October to inspect the entire route and assess the completed work.

Gadkari Says He Will Not Attend Inauguration

Gadkari said he had already made it clear that he would not attend the inauguration of the Mumbai-Goa route.

“I will no longer tolerate negligence of any kind. I have already made it clear that I will not be attending the inauguration of the Mumbai-Goa route. I feel ashamed to inaugurate this road after so many years of delay.”

The Mumbai-Goa route through the Konkan region is an important road link for Maharashtra and connects Mumbai with Goa. The prolonged construction period has drawn criticism, with several contractors failing to complete assigned work.

Gadkari Clarifies Political Future

Gadkari also spoke about his political future, saying he receives offers from several states to contest elections but intends to remain connected to his hometown and workplace.

He said he would not leave his current constituency as long as his party gives him an opportunity, indicating that he is likely to contest the next Lok Sabha election from Nagpur.