The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) is gearing up to open a crucial 25-kilometer section of the Samruddhi Mahamarg expressway, stretching from Bharvir to Igatpuri Town, to vehicular traffic by February. Kailash Jadhav, the Joint Managing Director (JMD) of MSRDC, revealed that only the installation of girders for the vehicular over bridge (VOB) remains pending, with all other major components of this complex stretch completed.
This 25-kilometer segment features a combination of flyovers, bridges, VOB, twin tunnels each spanning 300 meters, and a crossing over the old Mumbai-Nashik Highway. Jadhav emphasized the complexity of the VOB construction, given the constant traffic flow on the six-lane road beneath the bridge.
The Samruddhi Mahamarg, a 701-kilometer expressway connecting Nagpur to Mumbai, has already opened a 600-kilometer stretch from Nagpur to Bharvir in Igatpuri, with the latter inaugurated in two phases. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the 520-kilometer stretch between Nagpur and Shirdi in December 2022, while Chief Minister Eknath Shinde inaugurated the section between Shirdi and Bharvir in May 2023.
Upon the completion of the 25-kilometer stretch, the Nashik district portion of the project will be finished, leaving only the Thane district work pending. Jadhav anticipates that the remaining 76-kilometer stretch to Amane in Thane will be ready for opening by July. The progress marks a significant milestone in the Samruddhi Mahamarg project, bringing the ambitious expressway closer to full realization.
