To draw the government's attention to the poor condition of the Nashik-Mumbai highway and other pressing issues in Nashik city, a large convoy of four-wheelers blocked the road near the Jain temple in Vilholi on Monday, July 29. This decision followed a meeting held on Friday, which included representatives from all major organizations in the city. During the meeting, it was unanimously resolved not to pay the toll until a concrete decision is made. The meeting was attended by Jitubhai Thakkar, leader of the Citizen Forum, and Dhananjay Bele, president of NIMA. Additionally, it was decided to send a letter and tweet to Prime Minister Narendra Modi outlining their demands.
The representatives from 26 major organizations in Nashik, including those from industry, business, healthcare, construction, auditing, architecture, transport, tourism, and trade, participated in the decision. They resolved to communicate their concerns to Prime Minister Modi regarding the dire condition of the highway.
The Nashik-Mumbai highway has deteriorated significantly, with large potholes and extremely slow-moving traffic. The number of accidents has increased, and the travel time for the 180 km distance has stretched to eight to ten hours. Despite protests and appeals from various parties, including MLAs and MPs, the situation remains unchanged.
Guardian Minister of Nashik, Dada Bhuse, has issued an ultimatum to the highway authorities, but there are concerns about whether the system will respond effectively. The poor road conditions have severely impacted citizens, professionals, doctors, and entrepreneurs traveling to Mumbai. Transporters face severe traffic jams, and heavy vehicles are often blocked for long periods, affecting production and import-export activities.
During the meeting, strong sentiments were expressed regarding the urgent need for repairs. IMA President noted that two patients died because an ambulance could not reach Mumbai in time. Sudhir Sankalecha highlighted that many missed their flights. The daily struggles of students, entrepreneurs, and citizens were also emphasized.
In a joint statement, Jitubhai Thakkar, Dhananjay Bele, and other officials declared that if the road is not repaired, a strong protest will be launched, and toll payments will be withheld until their demands are met.