Maharashtra Cabinet Clears Rs 931 Crore For Bhandara–Gadchiroli Expressway, Upgrades Infrastructure Panel To Cabinet Level

The Maharashtra government has given the green light to the revised design of the Bhandara–Gadchiroli controlled access expressway, a major road project that promises to significantly improve connectivity in Vidarbha.

The decision was taken during a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, where approval was also granted for land acquisition and related expenditure worth Rs 931.15 crore.

To be implemented by the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), the 94.2 km stretch will shorten the distance between Bhandara and Gadchiroli by 23 km and cut travel time to just one and a half hours.

The expressway is an important step towards bolstering the regional transport network, on the lines of the Maharashtra Samruddhi Mahamarg, which has already streamlined travel between Nagpur and Mumbai.

The revised alignment covers two key links: from Savarkhanda Interchange to Konkangad on State Highway 53 and from Borgaon Interchange to Ranmochan on State Highway 353D.

Of the approved amount, Rs 534.46 crore has been allocated for project work and Rs 396.69 crore towards interest. Land acquisition, a critical component of the project, will begin soon.

Alongside, the cabinet announced a major institutional reform: the state’s Infrastructure Sub-Committee will now function as the Cabinet Infrastructure Committee.

This upgrade means that decisions taken by the panel will be treated as final, without requiring separate cabinet clearance, thereby cutting red tape and speeding up approvals.

The committee will handle all infrastructure proposals valued at Rs 25 crore or more, whether undertaken by the government, its agencies, semi-government bodies or state enterprises.

The Chief Secretary of Maharashtra will serve as the secretary of the committee, while the Additional Chief Secretary of the Planning Department will act as its convener.

The change is expected to give fresh impetus to the development of infrastructure projects, ensuring faster roll-out of large-scale schemes across the state.

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