SAMRUDDHI EXPRESSWAY PHASE I TO OPEN ON AUG 15: EKNATH SHINDE

Mumbai: The first phase of the 700km Mumbai-Nagpur Samruddhi Expressway from Nagpur to Shirdi—which was repeatedly pushed back under the Maha Vikas Aghadi government— is likely to be inaugurated on August 15. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde made the announcement at an event on Saturday evening in Kurla.

Highlighting his government’s commitment to development in the state, CM Shinde said the first 500km stretch of the Expressway would be an Independence Day gift to the people. Shinde, who served as the Urban Development Minister in the MVA government, had earlier described the Samruddhi Expressway as a “gamechanger” that would help to develop the region’s economy and be instrumental in stemming farmer suicides.

Now-Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis had announced the 701km Expressway in July 2015 when the BJPSena government was in power, had put Shinde in charge of overseeing the completion of the roadway being constructed by the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) at an estimated cost of Rs55,335 crore. Passing through 10 districts, the Expressway will reduce the travel time between Mumbai and Nagpur by six hours and at least 100km. The six-lane highway will have 24 interchanges, 38 bridges more than 30m long and 283 bridges of less than 30m long. It will have a speed limit of 150km per hour.

The MVA govt had first hinted that Phase 1 would be inaugurated in October 2021, and again, on March 31, 2022. Speaking at the felicitation ceremony in the constituency of his supporter and MLA from Kurla Mangesh Kudalkar, Shinde reiterated that his rebellion last month was aimed to give party MLAs justice. He said now that the group is in power, they will use it to ensure that the problems of all sections of the society are resolved and benefits of the power reach Shiv Sainiks on the ground. MLAs Prakash Surve, Balaji Kalyankar, Sanjay Shirsat and Shiv Sena workers were also present.