Mumbai, Jan 07: Raigad-based Chaitanya Patil (29), who walked 490 km in a remarkable display of data-driven activism, documented 59 distinct categories of hazards on the long-delayed Mumbai–Goa National
Highway (NH-66).
Through a gruelling 29-day-long “Rasta Satyagraha”, he walked from Palaspe in Panvel to Zarap near the Goa border and exposed systematic safety failures that continue to turn the crucial coastal artery into a “death trap”.
Scientific inspection instead of protest slogans
Unlike traditional protests characterised by slogans, the electronics engineer’s 29-day trek was a scientific on-foot highway inspection. Driven by social commitment, he treated the 14-year-old project as a living case study in infrastructure apathy, aiming to force administrative attention towards scientifically constructed roads.
Patil shared the findings from his experimental walk at a felicitation event organised by Moneylife Foundation, Mumbai Press Club and Anjali Damania.
Technical flaws flagged in 59-point report
The 59-point report of the rasta satyagraha presented a comprehensive breakdown of why NH-66 remains dangerous despite ongoing construction. Flagging engineering and structural failures, Patil identified critical technical errors that violate Indian Roads Congress (IRC) standards.
These included insufficient banking on curves, which make vehicles prone to skidding at high speeds, premature decay leading to sudden potholes in smooth stretches, and low vertical clearance in many underpasses.
Missing safety infrastructure and night-time risks
Patil also highlighted missing safety infrastructure, such as the absence or non-completion of service roads near villages, the lack of arrester ramps for overloaded vehicles or those experiencing brake failure, as well as night-time safety hazards like widespread damage to reflectors and the lack of regular operation of street lights.
Environmental risks and lack of basic facilities
The report also shed light on environmental and human factors, including the lack of dedicated wildlife corridors, especially at Karnala Sanctuary, leading to frequent animal-vehicle collisions. It also raised concerns about water accumulation behind walls due to blocked drainage, increasing the risk of landslides and debris fall, and the complete absence of basic facilities such as drinking water, restrooms and designated rest areas for long-distance travellers.
One-man maintenance effort during the walk
Patil did not just observe; he acted as a one-man maintenance crew during his journey. He personally collected 1,500 grams of iron objects such as nails and wires, along with broken glass and liquor bottles that posed immediate threats to tyres.
He claimed direct intervention to prevent over 20 potential accidents by alerting two-wheeler riders to unsafe riding practices or improperly retracted side stands. Moreover, he cleared the carcasses of 10–12 deceased animals from the carriageway to prevent high-speed swerving by motorists.
Findings submitted to Union ministry
Patil’s report concludes that the crisis is as much about management as it is about engineering. He highlighted the danger of unauthorised median openings used by locals and the presence of orphan hoardings that distract drivers. The findings have been formally submitted to the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.
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Call for accountability
“During this activity, I have not only recorded potholes but also visited the residences of people who met with accidents on the highway. We need to become a generation which asks questions; only then can we change the country. For the sake of this change, I am ready to walk all the highways across India,” said Patil at the felicitation event.
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