Maha budget: Work on Mumbai-Nagpur Expressway to start in April

The Rs46,000 crore project is touted to become a game-changer for Maharashtra

The construction of the ambitious Mumbai – Nagpur Super Communication Expressway will start in April, said state finance minister Sudhir Mungantiwar while presenting Maharashtra’s budget for the year 2018-19. The 701-km expressway Greenfield project, which is also called the Samruddhi Mahamarg or the Prosperity Corridor, will connect two important cities in the state.

The expressway will pass through the most backward districts of the state. The state government plans to develop 24 nodes or prosperity hubs along the expressway. (Representational photo/HT)

The expressway will pass through the most backward districts of the state. The state government plans to develop 24 nodes or prosperity hubs, which include truck terminuses, commercial sites, knowledge city, IT industries, manufacturing units, etc, to boost the economy of the region.

“A special purpose vehicle has been set up in the name of Nagpur-Mumbai Super Communication Expressway Limited for this project. The Samruddhi Mahamarg will run through 10 districts, 26 tehsils and 390 villages. Private land purchase procedure up to 52% is completed. The work on project will start from April 2018,” said Mungantiwar.

Meanwhile, in a push for the construction, repair and maintenance of the roads across the state, the government has allocated nearly Rs13,386 crore. According to Mungantiwar, the government has also allocated Rs10,828 crore for public works department for road construction and repairs across the state.