En Route: Second Phase of Maharashtra’s Samruddhi E-Way May Be Thrown Open to Public on May 26

The second phase of the ambitious Samruddhi Mahamarg project in Maharashtra is about to open up. The 600-km route will now be available to the general public. The first phase was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi six months ago, connecting state capital Mumbai and sub-capital Nagpur. According to a top source in the chief minister’s office, the second phase of the expressway will become operational for traffic soon.

The second phase of the Balasaheb Thackeray Samruddhi Mahamarg will be inaugurated by chief minister Eknath Shinde and his deputy Devendra Fadnavis. According to sources, the opening ceremony may happen in Shirdi on May 26. CM Shinde may inaugurate the 80-km expressway section from Shirdi to Bharvir (near Nasik). As of now, the Samruddhi Mahamarg is 701 kilometres long, connecting 14 districts of Maharashtra. The state has spent approximately Rs 55,000 crore on this mega project.

The expressway was notified on September 7, 2016, during the tenure of chief minister Devendra Fadnavis. The Samruddhi Mahamarg from Nagpur to Mumbai is India’s first and the world’s third-longest expressway. After the completion of this road with a total length of 710 km, it will be possible to reach Nagpur from Mumbai in just 6-7 hours, instead of the present 12 hours. Vehicles can run at a speed of 150 km per hour on the e-way.

According to the information available, the state government is planning to plant more than 11 lakh trees along this expressway to maintain a balance between development and environment. With this expressway, Nagpur, which is a central hub of the country, will get connected to Mumbai. Due to this connectivity, milk, vegetables, and other products from Vidarbha will reach Mumbai’s markets directly.

The state government is planning to have 18 agricultural centres around this expressway. A thousand farms will be established in the drought belt. There are 33 major bridges, 274 minor bridges, 65 flyovers, and 8 railway bridges on this e-way. Considering the wildlife across this project, authorities have constructed 209 tunnels for animals, so that they can pass the expressway without any danger.