Cabinet approves 6-lane Nashik-Solapur high speed corridor and highway widening in Odisha

The 374-km Nashik-Solapur corridor is part of the Surat-Chennai high-speed corridor, which links the western part of India to its southern part

Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) Officials said the project will reduce the distance between Nashik and Solapur by 14 per cent (from 432 km to 374 km) and increase the average speed from 60 kmph to 100 kmph. The total travel time from Surat to Chennai will be reduced by 45 per cent from 31 hours to 17 hours. The high-speed corridor from Akkalkot to Chennai is under implementation.

Officials said the 4-lane corridor is already in progress at the Chennai Port end from Chennai to Hasapur (MH Border) via Tiruvallur, Renigunta, Kadappa and Kurnool (700 km long).

“The greenfield corridor from Nashik to Akkalkot is proposed to be connected to the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway near Vadhawan port interchange, Agra-Mumbai corridor at Nashik at junction with NH-60 (Adegaon) and Samruddhi Mahamarg at Pangri (near Nashik). The proposed corridor will provide through connectivity from (the) west coast to east coast,” said the Ministry in its official release.

The connectivity between Nashik and Akkalkot (Solapur) will facilitate freight movement, originating and terminating at the National Industrial Corridor Development Corporation (NICDC) nodes of Kopparthy and Orvakal, the Ministry added. The Nashik-Talegaon Dighe section will address the requirement for the development of Pune-Nashik Expressway, as identified by NICDC as part of a proposed new expressway being taken up by the Maharashtra state government.

The second project to receive the Cabinet’s nod is a 206-km project for widening and strengthening of existing 2-Lane to a 2-lane with paved shoulder on NH-326 in Odisha. The project will be part of National Highway Original works in EPC mode at a total expenditure of Rs 1,526 crore.

The project lies in southern Odisha in the districts of Gajapati, Rayagada and Koraput.

Officials said the Mohana-Koraput section of National Highway (NH-326) has sub-standard geometry with an intermediate lane, 2-lanes, and many deficient curves and steep gradients, which create a lot of hindrance in the movement of vehicles. The existing road alignment, carriageway width and geometric deficiencies lead to unsafe movement and reduce freight throughput to coastal ports and industrial centres.

“These constraints will be removed by upgrading the corridor to 2-lane with paved shoulders with geometric corrections such as curve realignments and gradient improvements, removal of black spots,” said an official.