Mumbai: The final and most awaited stretch of Maharashtra’s ambitious Samruddhi Mahamarg — a 76-kilometer segment connecting Igatpuri to Amane in Thane — is set to be inaugurated today, June 5. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, along with Deputy Chief Ministers Ajit Pawar and Eknath Shinde, will preside over the inauguration ceremony, accompanied by senior project officials.
With this final link, the 701-kilometer expressway that runs from Mumbai to Nagpur will be fully operational, halving travel time between the two cities — from a grueling 16 hours to just eight. While the 625 kilometers from Nagpur to Igatpuri have already been opened to traffic, the last stretch posed the biggest engineering and environmental challenges of the project.
Traversing the hilly terrain and heavy rainfall zone of Igatpuri — the wettest region in Maharashtra — the route demanded advanced construction methods and heightened safety measures.
“Igatpuri is the highest rainfall zone in Maharashtra and some years we faced unprecedented rainfall that took a toll on our tunnel construction as well as impeding our efforts at Viaduct-II. Because of a dense forest area, lack of access roads, mountainous terrain, and high rainfall, we had to tread with extreme precaution. Due to heavy showers and dense fog, visibility remained an issue. However, we used the best safety practices to enable a safe work environment,” said K Mallikharjuna Rao, Business Unit Head – Hydro and Underground, Afcons Infrastructure Ltd.
Out of the 76 kilometers, a 13.1-km section from Pimpri Sadroddin in Nashik to Vashala Budruk in Thane stands out as a technological marvel. This includes Maharashtra’s longest and India’s widest road tunnels, spanning 7.78 kilometers in twin-tube format, along with two viaducts, an interchange, a toll plaza, multiple cross passages, and box culverts.
The tunnels were completed in a record time of two years using the New Austrian Tunnelling Method (NATM), and they feature India’s first high-pressure water mist fire safety system.
Engineered with a 2.49% downward gradient and a unique S-curve design, the tunnel bypasses the steep and accident-prone Kasara Ghat section, offering drivers a seamless experience that mimics travelling on level ground.
To complement this milestone, the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) is also working on widening the old Mumbai-Nashik Highway. Once completed, it will ease traffic flow for vehicles exiting the Samruddhi Mahamarg and merging near Thane, eliminating the potential for bottlenecks.
With the full stretch of the Samruddhi Mahamarg now ready for use, Maharashtra is set to witness a transformative boost in regional connectivity, logistics, and long-distance travel experience.
