The first phase of much awaited project ‘Samruddhi Mahamarg’ that stretches on an area of 480 km from Shirdi to Nagpur is complete.
The project promises to transform Maharashtra and improve travelling conditions on roads is
Talking to a leading newspaper Radheshyam Mopalwar, Director General (War Room, Infrastructure Projects) and Managing Director of the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), talked about the challenges of constructing Samruddhi Mahamarg that will connect Mumbai to Nagpur.
The upcoming infrastructure projects promises to transform Maharashtra and to improve travelling conditions on roads leading up to Mumbai.
As the first phase of the project is complete the chief minister has declared that to inaugurate it on August 15. We are waiting for a formal communication in the regard, he said.
“The honourable PM will inaugurate it; we can inaugurate the project even today. In fact, we have been ready since June 5. All the requisite infrastructure is in place†he added.
Giving more details about the preparations done he said that “we have deployed ambulance services on the stretch; toll collection systems, petrol pumps, everything is ready. We are planning to complete the entire 700-km stretch by May end next yearâ€.
How much will the toll be from Mumbai to Nagpur?
As per the 2008 notification of the Maharashtra government, there is a formula given according to which a rate of Rs 1.72 per km will be charged. The present toll on NH-3 from Mumbai to Nashik is actually more than the fare for the same route on our highway. While the road is designed for speed of up to 150 kms, the legal speed restriction will be 120-km per hour.
How many vehicles can commute on it on a daily basis?
For the first year, we estimate 25,000 vehicles per day. Once it connects to Bhiwandi, it will rise to more than 1 lakh per day. Mumbai-Pune expressway, when it started, had a daily traffic count of 15,000 vehicles per day. Today, it is 1.25 lakh.
Improved connectivity will create more attraction for investors… and the entire area will get a boost. We are very confident that these places earmarked by us will attract investments.
Why is the quality of work done in the Samruddhi corridor not visible in parts of roads that are so close to Mumbai?
It is important that this last-mile connectivity should be completed. That is why we pursued the government of India to hand over the stretch from Shangri La to Kapurbaudi junction on this stretch to us. Last year, it was handed over to us. We started construction last year but there was a forest clearance issue which we got last month. We are hopeful of completing that stretch in 18 months, before the next monsoon. The work was hampered last August after the forest department said there is a forest en route.
So, we went for forest clearance on June 15. The new stretch will be world-class; it will be an eight-lane concrete road and will not have potholes for the next 30 years.
