Talking to reporters after an event in Dombivili town, Ravindra Chavan said that Rs 4,500 crore have been disbursed for the project, but under some pretext the work has been delayed, according to the PTI.

A special audit will be conducted on the work done on the project over the last 12 years, he said.

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The work on the highway will be completed by end of this year, Chavan said, adding that a lane of the highway will be opened for people from Konkan who are travelling for the upcoming Ganesh festival.

Activists from the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) carried out an agitation and vandalised properties, which was uncalled for, the minister said.

Instead of discussing why the project has been delayed, people of Konkan should help the government complete the project, he said.

Meanwhile, the Navi Mumbai traffic police has banned the movement of heavy vehicles on Mumbai-Goa highway from Sunday till the end of the Ganesh festival to be held next month, the PTI reported.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic), Navi Mumbai, Tirupati Kakade issued the order to this effect on Saturday, according to the PTI.

DCP Kakade in the order said a meeting of stakeholders was held on August 23 on the condition of the Mumbai-Goa highway and it was decided there should be no traffic jams so as to facilitate the smooth journey of those proceeding to Konkan for the festival.

Also, repair work on the Mumbai-Goa highway is in progress and hence the movement of heavy vehicles on it has been banned, the order said.

The traffic department has suggested alternate routes to be used by heavy vehicles while proceeding on the Mumbai-Goa route. 

(with PTI inputs)