The much-awaited final stretch of the Hindu Hriday Samrat Balasaheb Thackeray Maharashtra Samruddhi Mahamarg—from Igatpuri to Thane—is finally ready. With the construction work now completed, the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) has formally requested the state government to decide on a date for the grand inauguration. If all goes as planned, this portion of the expressway could be opened to the public by early May, making smooth and non-stop travel between Nagpur and Mumbai a reality.
As per a report in the Hindustan Times, the inauguration might also be held alongside the launch of the southbound carriageway of the Thane Creek Bridge.
MSRDC Managing Director Anil Gaikwad confirmed that both projects are ready for public use. “Once opened, connectivity to Navi Mumbai, Pune, and the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport will improve greatly,” he said.
Seamless Nagpur-Mumbai Travel on the Horizon
The opening of the 76-km stretch between Igatpuri and Amane marks the completion of the entire 701-km-long Hindu Hriday Samrat Balasaheb Thackeray Maharashtra Samruddhi Mahamarg, connecting Nagpur to Mumbai. With the expressway now fully operational, travel time between the two cities is expected to reduce drastically—from nearly 16 hours to just 8 hours—bringing a major boost to intercity connectivity across Maharashtra.
Delay in Final Segment Completion
The final stretch of the Samruddhi Mahamarg was originally planned to be inaugurated ahead of the state assembly elections. However, the project faced delays due to technical challenges—most notably, the construction of a crucial bridge at Khardi. In addition, the connecting road between Amane and Vadape was still under construction, which further pushed back the timeline.
While the MSRDC had initially aimed to open this stretch by February, the pending work on the Vadape connector bridge caused further delays in the inauguration.
Remaining Bottlenecks and Traffic Diversions
At present, the Thane-Vadape stretch is still under construction, leading to ongoing traffic congestion in the area. Though the Samruddhi Expressway will become fully operational with the opening of the Igatpuri-Amane segment, commuters heading towards Mumbai may continue to face delays until the pending work near Vadape is completed.
According to MSRDC officials, the connector bridge at Vadape is expected to take another two months to finish. In the meantime, vehicles will be diverted through alternate routes to ensure smooth traffic movement.
A Game-Changer for Maharashtra
Dubbed a “super-communication corridor,” the 55,000-crore expressway is a six-lane, access-controlled highway developed in 16 phases over a decade. Designed for speeds of up to 150 km/h, it includes:
33 major bridges
274 minor bridges
65 flyovers
6 tunnels (including the longest at Kasara Ghat)
Wildlife crossings across three sanctuaries
EV charging stations and solar power facilities
Spanning 10 districts-Nagpur, Wardha, Amravati, Washim, Buldhana, Jalna, Aurangabad, Ahmednagar, Nashik, and Thane-the route passes through 390 villages.
Phased Rollout of the Samruddhi Mahamarg
Phase 1: Nagpur to Shirdi (520 km) – Opened in December 2022
Phase 2: Shirdi to Bharvir (~80 km) – Launched in May 2023
Phase 3: Bharvir to Igatpuri (23 km) – Inaugurated in March 2024
Phase 4: Igatpuri to Amane (76 km) – Now complete and ready for launch
The Samruddhi Expressway, a flagship project envisioned by former Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, has been inaugurated in phases under the leadership of current Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and MSRDC Minister Dada Bhuse.
Sources suggest that the state government is likely to invite the Prime Minister to inaugurate this final stretch during his scheduled visit to Mumbai on May 1, when he is expected to attend the World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit at Bandra Kurla Complex.