Goa to Get Traffic Relief with ₹15,000 Cr Ring Road Bypass Connecting Maharashtra to Karnataka

In a major infrastructure boost for Goa, the central government has announced a ₹12,000–₹15,000 crore ring road project that will connect Maharashtra to Karnataka without cutting through Goa’s central region. The move is expected to significantly ease congestion on Goa’s national highways.

Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari announced the project on Friday in South Goa, responding to repeated appeals from Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and Union Minister Shripad Naik for an alternate route to divert heavy traffic outside the state’s main corridors.

“The ministry is planning a ring road from Patradevi on the Goa-Maharashtra border to Karnataka, running along the outskirts of Goa. This will help decongest the national highway passing through the state,” Gadkari said.

The announcement was made during the foundation stone-laying ceremony of an Eiffel Tower-inspired observatory tower being developed on the new Zuari Bridge under a public-private partnership model. The tower will feature viewing decks, a restaurant, and amenities aimed at boosting tourism.

“I suggested it be like the Eiffel Tower so visitors can view Goa and the ocean. It will become an international attraction,” Gadkari said, adding that Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh will also get a similar tower.

He noted the potential to generate substantial revenue through ticketing and GST and proposed showcasing Goa’s liberation history through immersive technological displays at the observatory.

Besides the ring road and observatory, Gadkari unveiled additional road and bridge projects worth thousands of crores:

• ₹2,000 crore for a four-lane highway from the Karnataka border to Mollem
• ₹1,000 crore for widening the Mollem to Khandekar stretch
• ₹1,200 crore for a new bridge near the existing Zuari bridge at Borim

These initiatives mark a significant infrastructure investment aimed at reducing traffic bottlenecks and enhancing tourism infrastructure in Goa.