The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) has announced a delay in the opening of the final 76-km stretch of the Samruddhi Mahamarg, which runs from Igatpuri to Amane in Thane.
This stretch was expected to open around September-October after finishing work on a massive 84-meter-high bridge at Shahpur, equivalent to a 28-story building.
However, the opening will now be postponed until all roadwork is completed, as confirmed by The Indian Express. Anil Kumar Gaikwad, the vice-chairman and managing director of MSRDC, stated that the delay is mainly due to ongoing work on a crucial 1-km section that connects Amane to the Sangrilla Resort on the old Mumbai-Nashik Highway. This segment is essential for improving connectivity.
The roadwork is part of the under-construction Vadodara-Mumbai Expressway leading to JNPT Road. This project, managed by MSRDC on behalf of the NHAI, is expected to finish by November. The 4.5-km road will link the end point of Samruddhi Mahamarg at Amane to the old Mumbai-Nashik Highway.
While 3.5 km of this road is complete, the remaining 1 km involves the demolition and relocation of several warehouses and godowns, which will take some time, according to Gaikwad. He emphasized that opening the Samruddhi Mahamarg without completing the Vadodara-Mumbai JNPT road could lead to significant traffic issues.
Once operational, the 76-km stretch of Samruddhi Mahamarg will cut travel time between Amane and Igatpuri to just 40 minutes, down from over 90 minutes via the old route.
Currently, 625 km of the total 701 km Samruddhi Mahamarg is already open to traffic, allowing travel from Nagpur to Amane in Thane in about eight hours, compared to the previous 16-hour journey.
Comments
0 comment