• By Nidhi Giri
  • Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:40 AM (IST)
  • Source:JND

Mumbai-Nagpur Expressway: Commuters will now be able to access the Mumbai-Nagpur, also known as the Samruddhi Expressway from Bhiwandi. The 76-km stretch between Igatpuri and Amane is likely to be completed by the end of this month. This stretch of the Mumbai-Nagpur expressway is likely to be inaugurated in March by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, reports quoting officials from the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) said. The final lane-marking and painting work is currently underway and is scheduled to be completed between February 25 and 27. These activities are carried out only after all major construction work is finished, indicating that the highway is nearly ready for public use.

Currently, the Mumbai-Nagpur Expressway is operational only from Igatpuri near Nashik to Nagpur, covering 625 km. Plans to open the 76-km Igatpuri-Amane stretch in November-December 2024 were postponed due to delays in government formation and portfolio allocation. Instead, the MSRDC decided to complete all pending work and launch the entire stretch at once.

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Phase-Wise Opening Of Mumbai-Nagpur Expressway

The 701-km expressway, officially named Hindu Hrudaysamrat Balasaheb Thackeray Maharashtra Samruddhi Mahamarg, has been opened in phases since December 2022. PM Modi inaugurated the first 520-km stretch between Nagpur and Shirdi. In May 2023, then Chief Minister Eknath Shinde inaugurated the 105-km section from Shirdi to Bharvir. Another 25-km stretch between Bharvir and Igatpuri was opened to motorists in March 2024 without a formal event.

At Amane, the terminal point of the Mumbai-Nagpur Expressway, it connects with the under-construction Mumbai-Vadodara Expressway, which extends from the Jawaharlal Nehru Port to Gujarat. To facilitate movement between the Mumbai-Nashik Highway and the Samruddhi Expressway, a temporary arrangement has been made.

First announced in November 2015, work on the access-controlled greenfield expressway began in February 2019. The project was divided into 16 construction packages, with toll collection authorised for 40 years.

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Mumbai-Nagpur Expressway Details

To enhance commuter convenience, MSRDC is developing ten public utility areas along the Mumbai-Nagpur Expressway, which will include petrol pumps, eateries and rest stops. Built to support speeds of up to 150 kmph, the Mumbai-Nagpur Expressway features modern infrastructure such as wildlife underpasses, flyovers and pedestrian crossings, ensuring a balance between efficiency and safety for travellers.

With the upcoming extension to Bhiwandi, the Mumbai-Nagpur Expressway is expected to further improve connectivity between Mumbai and Nagpur, reducing travel time and easing congestion on existing highways. The final touches are being completed and once the stretch is inaugurated, commuters will have a seamless and faster route from Mumbai itself.