Good News: Nitin Gadkari Approves Expressway Linking Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar to Pune

The proposal for a new expressway linking Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar to Pune, set in motion 22 months ago, has finally received an approval from the Union Ministry.

Nitin Gadkari, the Union Minister, confirmed that the expressway project has been given the go-ahead, with plans to construct it under the BOT (Build-Operate-Transfer) model.

During his visit to the city to offer condolences to the family of entrepreneur Vivek Deshpande, Gadkari disclosed this significant development. He was accompanied by prominent figures such as Shrikant Joshi, City President Shirish Boralkar, and State General Secretary Sanjay Kenekar.

Gadkari revealed that the road would be entrusted to the Maharashtra Infrastructure Corporation, with a substantial loan of 3 thousand crores secured from HUDCO. He assured swift action, with copies of the decision to be sent to Mumbai and the Regional Office within two days.

Acknowledging the efforts of Union Minister of State for Finance, Dr. Bhagwat Karad, Gadkari mentioned that a meeting between them had transpired the previous week, where Dr. Karad advocated for the approval of this vital route. Gadkari assured that steps would be promptly taken to materialize the project.

The route’s alignment has been finalized, covering a distance of 225 km from Chhatrapati SambhajiNagar to Pune, reducing travel time to two to fifteen hours. The expressway will feature four toll booths from Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar to Shirur. Additionally, the existing Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar to Ahmednagar road will undergo improvements funded by toll revenue.

This development is poised to significantly enhance connectivity, enabling travelers to journey from Nagpur to Jalna Samruddhi Mahamarg and onwards to Pune from Chhatrapati SambhajiNagar within four and a half hours, revolutionizing regional transportation infrastructure.