With Samruddhi Expressway Nearing Completion, Maharashtra Begins Work On 2 New Expressways Connecting Pune-Nashik, Nagpur- Goa

With 701 km long Mumbai-Nagpur Expressway set to the inaugurated soon, Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), the state infrastructure arm of the state government, has floated a tender for the appointment of consultant for the preparation of feasibility study report, detailed project report (DPR) and land acquisition requirements for two greenfield expressway: 250 km Pune-Nashik industrial expressway, and 760 km Pavnar-Patradevi (Nagpur- Goa Shaktipeeth expressway).

The MSRDC has set a deadline of 18 months for the completion of DPR.

The two proposed expressways are estimated to cost Rs 80,000 crores.

While the Pune-Nashik is envisaged to connect new and old industrial zones and townships, the Shaktipeeth highway will connect major religious centres -- Mahur, Ambajogai, Aundha Nagnath, Parali, Tuljapur, Pandharpur, Narsobachi Wadi, Kolhapur.

Addressing a function in Nagpur last month, Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis said the Nagpur-Goa expressway will pass through Marathwada and Western Maharashtra. At present, one takes around 21 hours to travel the 1016.2-km distance between Nagpur and Goa by road.

"Once the consultants give us their report within a year's time, the land acquisition can be started. Given our experience in building highways and expressways, we expect these greenfield projects to be ready in five years. Construction activities can be started only after 80% acquisition of the land gets completed" ET Infra quoted Radheshyam Mopalwar, director general of state's war room on infrastructure projects, as saying