PM Narendra Modi to inaugurate first phase of Mumbai-Nagpur expressway on December 11
“With this expressway, we will be opening a new economical corridor in the state. This expressway will integrate 14 districts and connect ports," Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the first phase of the Mumbai-Nagpur Samruddhi Expressway in Nagpur on December 11, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Saturday. “The first phase of the expressway between Shirdi and Nagpur will be opened for public on December 11 by the PM. This will be a 500-km stretch… the remaining stretch would be opened for the public in the next six months,” Fadnavis said.
“With this expressway, we will be opening a new economical corridor in the state. This expressway will integrate 14 districts and connect ports. This will bring prosperity not only to Vidarbha and Marathawada but also to the entire state,” he added. The ‘Hindu Hrudaysamrat Balasaheb Thackeray Maharashtra Samruddhi Mahamarg’ is the second expressway in the state after the Mumbai-Pune Expressway.
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Before the PM arrives, Fadnavis and Chief Minister Eknath Shinde will visit the expressway to review the completion of work. “This is a big project and PM Modi will be inaugurating it, so it is important to inspect it,” Fadnavis said. On Sunday, Fadnavis and Shinde are likely to travel from Nagpur to Shirdi on the expressway.
The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) is building the 701 km eight-lane Mumbai-Nagpur Samruddhi Expressway – touted to be fastest in the country – where vehicles can ply at 150 kmph. The project is estimated to cost Rs 55,000 crore.
Started in January 2019, the entire project was expected to be completed by September 2022. However, it was delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the slow pace of work.
The expressway will traverse through 14 districts, six talukas and 392 villages. It will cut down travel time between Nagpur and Mumbai from the existing 16 hours to 8 hours by road.
Vallabh Ozarkar is a Senior Correspondent with The Indian Express' Mumbai bureau, recognized as an authoritative and deeply knowledgeable voice on the politics, governance, and infrastructure of Maharashtra. With approximately seven years of experience in major news organizations, his reporting delivers high standards of Expertise and Trustworthiness.
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