News Brief
Arjun Brij
Apr 17, 2025, 04:50 PM | Updated 04:50 PM IST
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The last leg of the ambitious Mumbai-Nagpur Samruddhi Expressway, a 76 km stretch from Igatpuri to Amane, is poised for inauguration on 1 May, coinciding with Maharashtra Day.
Reported by Hindustan Times, the event may also see the simultaneous opening of the south-bound carriageway of the Thane Creek Bridge.
“Both the projects are fully ready for inauguration. Once opened, connectivity to Navi Mumbai, Pune and the upcoming Navi Mumbai international airport will improve greatly,” said Anil Gaikwad, Managing Director of the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC).
This final phase will complete the 701 km Samruddhi Mahamarg, a flagship project envisioned by then Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. The expressway has been developed in phases.
Its first stretch from Nagpur to Shirdi was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in December 2022.
The second leg, connecting Shirdi to Bharvir in Nashik, was opened in May 2023 by then Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, and the third section from Bharvir to Igatpuri was launched in March 2024 by then MSRDC Minister Dada Bhuse.
With the final segment ready, sources indicate that the state may request the Prime Minister to formally inaugurate the stretch while he is in Mumbai for the World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit at the Bandra Kurla Complex on 1 May.
The expressway, also known as the Hindu Hrudaysamrat Balasaheb Thackeray Maharashtra Samruddhi Mahamarg, is expected to significantly cut travel time and boost economic activity across the regions it connects, while also easing access to the under-construction Navi Mumbai International Airport.
Arjun Brij is an Editorial Associate at Swarajya. He tweets at @arjun_brij