State or Centre to be blamed for Goa highway's bad condition?

MUMBAI: Experts in the transportation engineering sector have expressed surprise over the fact that national highway stretches in neighboring states were better in shape than those in Maharashtra and wondered whether their bad condition was the failure of the state government or the Centre.

"It is really surprising. How we can call Goa highway a National Highway if it does not have basic provisions such as Cat's eyes reflectors or dividers. Recent bus mishap which killed over 37 people a few days ago revealed that the bridge from which the bus fell down had only small pipe railings and did not have proper concrete railings or crash barriers," said A V Shenoy, a social and transportation activist .

"During my visit to Karnataka last month I saw both the National Highways as well as State Highways in will-maintained conditions. While returning to Mangalore in the night I saw the National Highway 13 beautifully asphalted (this I found on other State highways and most other roads also) and at all the blind curves there were cat's eye reflectors alongside and also on the divider line," he said. NH17 which runs ahead of Goa up to Mangalore is also in beautiful condition, he added.

"This brings up the question that whether it is the NHAI or the Maharashtra state which is responsible for the Mumbai - Goa highway's extremely bad condition? If National Highways can be maintained well in adjoining states, is it Maharashtra state which does not seem to bother about maintenance of roads such as NH17 thus resulting in so many accidents and deaths," said Shenoy.