Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis inaugurated the crucial segment connecting Igatpuri in Nashik to Amane in Thane, completing the final missing link in the 701-kilometre Samruddhi Mahamarg corridor. This engineering feat drastically reduces travel time between Mumbai and Nagpur from 16 hours to just eight, transforming connectivity across the state and delivering significant benefits to citizens and commerce alike.
Constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 1,182 crore with funding from the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation and the National Highways Authority of India, the expressway is designed for speeds of up to 150 km/h. It features three major interchanges at Igatpuri, Kutghar (Shahapur), and Amane (Thane), and includes India’s longest road tunnel — a 7.8-kilometre tunnel at Kasara Ghat — which cuts travel time between Igatpuri and Kasara to eight minutes, bypassing steep and winding roads.
The greenfield route boasts 65 flyovers, 24 interchanges, six tunnels, 33 major bridges, 274 minor bridges, and over 300 pedestrian underpasses. Traversing ten districts and connecting 390 villages, it enhances regional connectivity and creates a vital logistics corridor linking Mumbai’s Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust with the Multi-modal International Cargo Hub and Airport at Nagpur (MIHAN), bolstering trade and economic growth.
For travellers, the expressway offers a safer, smoother journey, eliminating the arduous Kasara Ghat ascent and reducing congestion. Its design supports sustainable infrastructure goals by lowering fuel consumption and emissions, while its thoughtful environmental integration includes wildlife passages and extensive green development.
The Samruddhi Mahamarg represents a milestone in Maharashtra’s infrastructure and economic transformation, heralding a new era of rapid, sustainable connectivity and strengthening the state’s position as a key driver of India’s growth.
Source: Urban Acres
