Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the first phase of the Nagpur-Mumbai ‘Samruddhi Expressway’ on Sunday. It spans 520 kilometres and connects Nagpur to the temple town of Shirdi in Maharashtra’s Ahmednagar district. The ‘Hindu Hrudaysamrat Balasaheb Thackeray Maharashtra Samruddhi Mahamarg’ project will be 701 kilometres long in total.
The project is also expected to improve connectivity in 14 neighbouring districts and to play a key role in the development of approximately 24 districts, including the regions of Vidarbha, Marathwada, and North Maharashtra. It is said to be one of the longest expressways in the country. Later, it will be linked to the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, which is expected to be completed next year, as well as the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust and several tourist attractions, including Ajanta-Ellora Caves, Shirdi, and Lonar.
Fadnavis took to Twitter to share photos of the expressway, writing, “Yes yes this is India, Yes it’s Maharashtra too!” “Now, guess what’s common in all of these photos!” Several Nagpur residents thanked the Prime Minister for launching and launching various development projects.
The expressway will include EV charging stations at regular intervals, among other features. It will have a speed limit of 150 kilometres, reducing the travel time from Mumbai to Aurangabad to four hours. Tunnel lighting and improved street lighting are among the expressway’s features, as is digital signage throughout.