Pune: The union ministry has given green signal to a new expressway which will connect Aurangabad to Pune. This project was under discussion for nearly 22 months. It will be developed under the BOT (Build-Operate-Transfer) framework and it is verified by the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways of India. This 225 km proposed expressway will bring down the travel time between Pune to Aurangabad significantly, from the current 4-5 hours to just 2 hours.
This expressway will also give a boost to regional connectivity, as it will enable passengers to travel from Nagpur to Jalna Samruddhi Mahamarg and then to Pune from Aurangabad in nearly 4:30 hours. This journey currently requires around 10:30 hours.
In the month of December, Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari had announced in the Lok Sabha that the proposals to construct this expressway along with the Talegaon-Chakan-Shikrapur elevated highway have been submitted to Delhi for approval.
Earlier, Gadkari had announced that this modern road would connect two major cities in Maharashtra, Pune, and Aurangabad. The 225 km expressway aims to provide a smooth and comfortable journey, reducing the travel time between Pune and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar will reduce by two hours, he has informed.
"The world-class greenfield expressway, with an estimated cost of Rs 10,000 crore, will traverse through the Western Ghats, allowing passengers to enjoy the natural beauty of Maharashtra during their travels," Gadkari had said.
