Vikas Raut
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:
The Public Works Department (PWD) has claimed that the five pending stretches on the road leading to the world heritage Ajanta Caves will be completed by November 30. The assurance comes amid widespread criticism that the poor condition of the road has tarnished Maharashtra’s image internationally.
An old tweet by union Minister Nitin Gadkari about the road’s condition recently went viral, once again sparking public debate on social media. Foreign tourists have also expressed disappointment online about the state of the route. From Vasantrao Naik Chowk (CIDCO, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar) to Ajanta Caves, which spans about 95 km, of which nearly 20 km still remains incomplete.
Between 2015 and 2020, the road underwent two rounds of repairs. In 2020, reconstruction began using cement concrete under a ₹1,000-crore project, yet work continues even as 2025 approaches. Incomplete stretches include 6.2 km in Sillod city, 7 km in Harsul, 1 km in Palod, and the Ajanta bridge, collectively costing ₹63 crore. The 7-km stretch from Nillod to Sillod falls under the Dhule PWD division.
City sections still lagging behind
During the four-laning of National Highway 753F (Harsul–Fardapur section leading to Ajanta Caves), several properties in Harsul village were demolished to widen the road. However, the graveyard relocation issue remains unresolved. The PWD had requested land from the Department of Animal Husbandry, but no land was allocated. As an alternative, the graveyard site was considered, and till the issue is settled, only 10 meters of the road has been completed. Meanwhile, work on the Vasantrao Naik Chowk–Harsul stretch is progressing slowly.
Only 70 km built in 5 years
Despite claims of being able to build 3 km of concrete roads per day, the department has managed to complete just 70 km of the 95 km stretch in the past five years. The contractor, with a production capacity of 120 TPH and 30,000 cubic meters of concrete per month, was expected to complete about 13 km per month. Considering the technical capacity, the entire road could have been built within three months, and bridges within eight months, but it has instead taken five years.
Work to finish by end of November
“We will complete the remaining works by the end of November. The tasks have been divided into phases. The 7 km stretch from Nillod to Sillod (under Dhule PWD), 6.2 km within Sillod city, the section from Nillod to Bhavan Phata, and the 1 km stretch up to Palod will be completed by then. The Ajanta bridge work was delayed due to the monsoon,” said S L Galande, executive engineer (PWD).
Tourism potential at stake
“Even after so many years, the road leading to Ajanta Caves, a 2,300-year-old UNESCO world heritage site, remains incomplete. How can tourism grow if such an important route is neglected?,” pointed out Sunit Kothari, President, Civil Aviation Committee (ATDF).