The ambitious Nagpur-Mumbai Samruddhi Mahamarg project, led by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and developed by the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), is now under serious scrutiny following allegations of major financial irregularities. Acting on a formal complaint and political pressure, the Principal Accountant General (PAG) of Maharashtra has ordered an audit to investigate the suspected misuse of funds.
The directive was issued on June 9 by Principal Accountant General C. M. Sane, following a letter from Public Accounts Committee (PAC) Chairman Vijay Wadettiwar and a detailed complaint by NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) MLA Rohit Pawar. The PAG’s office, which audits spending across 38 state government departments, has now referred the matter to the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India for further action.
According to a media report, the Samruddhi Mahamarg Expressway, officially named Hindu Hrudaysamrat Balasaheb Thackeray Maharashtra Samruddhi Mahamarg, is being constructed in 16 phases. According to Rohit Pawar’s complaint, several of these phases have experienced cost escalations amounting to thousands of crores, raising concerns about possible embezzlement and inflated tender rates.
Citing a specific case, the complaint points to Phase 11 of the expressway, a 29-km stretch from Mouje Dhotre to Mouje Darle in Ahilyanagari. The contract was initially awarded to Gayatri Projects Ltd. in 2018 for ₹1,900 crore. However, after the company expressed its inability to complete the work, the project was reassigned in 2021 to Huzoor Multi Project at a revised cost of ₹2,700 crore — an increase of ₹800 crore.
Adding to the concerns, Pawar noted that Huzoor Multi Project has 1.52 crore shares, of which 23 lakh are reportedly held by a relative of a senior MSRDC official, suggesting a possible conflict of interest.
The complaint also raises concerns over the Jalna-Nanded stretch of the Samruddhi Mahamarg, where the project cost reportedly jumped from ₹11,442 crore to ₹15,554 crore — an increase of over ₹4,100 crore. Instead of reducing costs through competitive bidding, the final contract was allegedly awarded at an inflated amount. The central vigilance team is said to have taken note of the issue and temporarily halted the process.
In response to these developments, PAC Chairman Vijay Wadettiwar wrote to the Principal Accountant General on May 28, requesting an immediate audit. He also sent a separate letter to the Public Works Department Secretary, seeking a detailed report on the matter.
With the audit now underway, the findings are expected to draw significant attention and may lead to major political consequences in Maharashtra’s corridors of power.
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