Touted as a game changer project for Vidarbha Region, the State Government led by Eknath Shinde is looking at giving the project as a “Diwali Gift” to Maharashtra
Nagpur: The Shinde Fadnavis Government is likely to give gift to the people of Maharashtra on Diwali. The first phase of the 701 km Nagpur-Mumbai Samruddhi Mahamarg is likely to be inaugurated by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi during Diwali, media reports said.
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Thursday 09 Jan. 2025
Reliable sources have informed that the date will be announced by the Chief Minister’s Office only after the Prime Minister gives time. It is likely that this dedication ceremony will be held in Nagpur one day before Diwali i.e. on October 23. However, it is certain that the inauguration will take place only after getting the time and date from the Prime Minister’s Office. It is said that the work of Nagpur-Mumbai Samruddhi Mahamarg is in the final stage.
Touted as a game changer project for Vidarbha Region, the State Government led by Eknath Shinde is looking at giving the project as a “Diwali Gift” to Maharashtra. The project’s first phase, between Nagpur to Shirdi, a stretch of 520 kms is slated for an opening during the Diwali festival. With the BJP back as part of the state government, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s availability is also being checked for the expressway’s inauguration.
Having the Prime Minister do the honours holds significance for the BJP, in the wake of elections that are to be held at several local bodies in Maharashtra, including those along the Expressway.
As per the document issued by the state, a maximum speed of 120 kmph (kilometers per hour) is allowed on flat or non-hilly terrain and 100 kmph on hilly stretches for vehicles having up to 8 passenger seats. Likewise, people driving vehicles with 9 and above passenger carrying capacity will have to limit their acceleration to 100 kmph on flat surfaces and 80 kmph on hilly sections. For heavy vehicles, the speed limit on both types of terrains has been capped at 80 kmph.
Two-wheelers, three-wheeled auto-rickshaws, and four-wheeled auto-rickshaws have been disallowed to use the expressway being constructed by the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC).
Earlier this year, the state authorities had announced the stretch between Nagpur and Shelu Bazaar at Washim of about 201 km open on May 2. But it was cancelled owing to damage to a wildlife overpass.
The 701-km long Mumbai-Nagpur Expressway will connect 10 districts, 26 talukas, and 392 villages and will cut down travel time between Nagpur and Mumbai by half from 16 to eight hours.
The project’s cost stands at a whopping Rs 55,332 crore including engineering cost of Rs 40,000 crore. Over Rs 22,000 crore has been spent. For the project, the MSRDC has raised debt worth Rs 28,000 crore. The MSRDC has plans to develop 19 new towns along the expressway, of which it has prepared a development plan for eight. Out of these eight new towns, land acquisition for six will be completed by June next year. The idea is to get investments and establish various industries in the new towns.
