Government Begins Ambenali Ghat Linking Konkan And Western Maharashtra Widening After Fatal SUV Crash
Government Begins Ambenali Ghat Linking Konkan And Western Maharashtra Widening After Fatal SUV Crash
Mumbai, June 25, 2026: The Maharashtra government has started work to widen the Ambenali Ghat road, which connects the Konkan region with western Maharashtra, following growing concerns over safety after a deadly accident last month.
During a discussion in the state assembly on Wednesday, several legislators raised questions about safety measures on the ghat road. The issue gained attention after an SUV carrying eight people plunged into a valley on May 24, killing all the occupants. The accident remained unnoticed for more than 18 hours.
Congress MLA Amin Patel said that despite frequent accidents in the ghat section, adequate safety measures had not been installed. Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Sunil Prabhu called the delayed discovery of the accident a failure of both highway authorities and the police.
Responding to the concerns, Public Works Department Minister Shivendrasinh Bhonsle said the government has already undertaken a major road-widening project for the ghat. He stated that the accident occurred at a location where the road was 14 metres wide and crash barriers had been installed, but the vehicle went into the valley after the driver allegedly lost control.
The minister announced that a new emergency response checkpost will be set up at Wada Kumbhroshi village at the base of Pratapgad in Satara district. Police personnel and PWD staff will be stationed there to respond quickly to emergencies in the ghat section.
According to Bhonsle, 14 kilometres of the ghat currently measuring 5.5 metres in width will be widened to 10 metres. Another stretch will be expanded from 7 metres to 12 metres. The remaining 16-kilometre section between Pratapgad and Mahabaleshwar will also be widened from 5.5 metres to 10 metres.
He added that all required crash barriers and safety installations will be provided according to official norms as part of the project.
