Maharashtra: Nagpur Mumbai Samruddhi Mahamarg To Reduce Travel Time, Igatpuri To Kasara In 8 Minutes Soon
Maharashtra: Nagpur Mumbai Samruddhi Mahamarg To Reduce Travel Time, Igatpuri To Kasara In 8 Minutes Soon
The fourth and final phase of the Nagpur-Mumbai Samruddhi Highway, connecting Igatpuri to Amne, is almost complete with 99% of the work done. The highlight of this phase is an 8 km long tunnel, which will eliminate the need for the 12 km Kasara Ghat, reducing travel time from 40 minutes to just 8-10 minutes.
According to Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) Managing Director Anil Kumar Gaikwad, the tunnel is the widest in the country, with a width of 17.61 meters and a height of 9.12 meters. The final phase also includes five tunnels and 16 bridges, making it a challenging but significant achievement.
The Samruddhi Highway, named after Hindu Heart Samrat Balasaheb Thackeray, aims to reduce travel time between Nagpur and Mumbai to eight hours. With 625 km of the 701 km highway already open to the public, the remaining 76 km is expected to be completed soon.
The construction of the final phase involved cutting through rugged mountain ranges and building valley bridges and tunnels, with some areas requiring digging up to 30-40 meters into rocks. The package 14 tunnel at Igatpuri is the longest tunnel in Maharashtra and the widest in the country.
The highway has been constructed to cover the distance from Nagpur to Mumbai in eight hours. Out of the 701 km highway, 625 km has been put into public service, while the remaining 76 km is 99 percent complete.
Three phases of the Samruddhi Highway are already open for traffic:
- – Phase I: Nagpur to Shirdi (520 km) was opened on December 11, 2022
- – Phase II: Shirdi to Bharveer (80 km) was opened on May 26, 2023
- – Phase III: Bharveer to Igatpuri route was opened on March 4, 2024
As of August 4, 2024, over 1 crore 18 lakh vehicles have traveled safely on the highway. The completion of the final phase will further enhance connectivity between Nagpur and Mumbai, reducing travel time and increasing economic growth.
