The entire 701-km-long Mumbai-Nagpur expressway is expected to be thrown open to traffic by September-end when work on the final phase covering a 76-km-long stretch will be completed, providing a seamless travel option to motorists between the two big Maharashtra cities, the project implementing agency said.
Anilkumar Gaikwad, Chairman and Managing Director, Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), said that work on the 76-km-long final phase of the ambitious project, Samruddhi Mahamarg, between Igatpuri in Nashik district and Aamne in Thane district will be completed by September-end barring a small 3-km-long stretch near Khardi town.
“The last phase was the most challenging part of the ambitious 701-km-long project. There were 16 deep valleys and five hillocks. After cutting these hillocks we have constructed five tunnels and bridged the valleys with 16 viaducts. Construction of the viaducts was a big challenge,” Gaikwad informed.
Out of the 701 kilometers of the Samruddhi Mahamarg, 625 kilometers have already been completed and opened to traffic. The expressway, officially named the Hindu Hrudaysamrat Balasaheb Thackeray Maharashtra Samruddhi Mahamarg, is a 6-lane access-controlled highway in Maharashtra. It is the state’s second major road project of this type, following the 95-kilometer Mumbai-Pune Expressway.
The ₹55,000-crore high-speed corridor, also known as the super communication expressway, traverses 392 villages across 10 districts. Upon completion, it will reduce the travel time between Mumbai and Nagpur from 18 hours to just eight hours.