Mumbai: Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis along with both deputy CMs Ajit Pawar and Eknath Shinde inaugurated the last and final remaining portion of Samruddhi Mahamarg comprising 76 kilometers resulting in full 701km of Expressway connecting Mumbai to Nagpur now opened for traffic.
Eknath shinde initially drove the car for CMFadnavis seating next to him, with Ajit Pawar was seating behind along with officials. They all experienced the newly opened stretch of this expressway which allows travelling at speed of 120kmph on road and within 100kmph inside tunnels.
During the inaugural event, CM Fadnavis said that land acquisition for the Samruddhi Expressway was completed in record time. He asserted that the traffic has increased from daily 2 lakh per month to 10 lakh per month. With the starting of this final stretch traffic will further surge.
Also CM informed that tree plantation initiative has been undertaken along the Samruddhi Expressway and Forest Department has been directed to do further plantation. The expressway has led to the construction of over 1,000 farm ponds, with groundwater recharge systems installed every 500 meters. Solar power generation is also planned along the expressway, with a 35 MW solar project currently underway. Additionally, a gas pipeline by GAIL has been installed alongside the expressway, which will eventually extend to the upcoming steel city of Gadchiroli. Religious and tourist destinations are also being connected via this route.
Through Samruddhi Mahamarg, 24 districts of the state including Vidarbha, Marathwada, and North Maharashtra have been connected to the JNPT port. Now, the expressway will be extended to the Vadhavan Port. The 701-kilometer-long expressway has been built at a cost of Rs 55,335 crore.
To ensure accident-free travel, advanced technology will be used on the expressway. Over 100 wildlife crossing structures have been created to avoid disruption to animal movement – a first-of-its-kind initiative in the country. This has ensured uninterrupted wildlife passage, said the Chief Minister.
He also mentioned about the proposed Shaktipeeth Expressway project, which will help contribute transforming the economic landscape of Marathwada.
While Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said the Samruddhi Expressway will save time, reduce pollution, and conserve fuel. It will boost agriculture, tourism, and industrial development. As an environmentally friendly expressway, it will be a game changer for the state’s progress. He expressed confidence that the expressway will also contribute to Nashik district’s development.
The Samruddhi Expressway will benefit Marathwada, Western Maharashtra, and the Konkan region. The upcoming Shaktipeeth Expressway will also prove useful. Basic amenities will be made available to travelers along the expressway, and drivers must adhere to speed limits, urged Deputy CM Shinde.
Extending greetings on World Environment Day, Deputy CM Ajit Pawar stated that a target of planting 10 crore saplings has been set this year for environmental conservation. With this expressway now operational, other state infrastructure projects will be accelerated. He also praised the officials, employees, and workers involved in bringing the project to fruition.
The 76-kilometer stretch of the Samruddhi Expressway which has been opened to traffic now, passes through Nashik and Thane districts. This section includes the challenging terrain of the Sahyadri mountain range, which posed a significant engineering challenge, successfully handled by MSRDC. The tunnel near Igatpuri, spanning 8 kilometers, is the longest in the state and the widest in the country.
The opening of this final stretch will ensure commuters need not be required to take the Kasara Ghat and simply drive through non gradient road via Samruddhi Mahamarg experiencing seamless and safe travelling experience.
Graphics:
Number of tunnels - 2
Length of tunnels – 7.78km
Width of tunnels – 17.6m
Lanes in the tunnels – 3 lanes in each tunnel
Cross passages inside tunnels – 26
• Viaducts
Number of viaducts - 2
Type of the viaducts – Viaduct I is simply supported I Girder bridge of 910m, and viaduct II is balanced cantilever box girder bridge of 1295m.
Total piers in viaduct II – 35
Highest pier in viaduct II – 60m
Lanes on the viaducts – 3 lanes on each viaduct
➢ Project highlights:
• Includes Maharashtra’s longest and India’s widest road tunnels
• Tunnelling completed in a record time of 2 years
• New Austrian Tunnelling Method (NATM) was used for tunnelling
• Tunnels equipped with modern ventilation, firefighting, and safety systems
• First ever high-pressure water mist system in any tunnel in India for fire safety
