The government has approved linking Jalna and Nanded via the Samruddhi Expressway, reducing the distance from 226km to 179.8km. This will cut the travel time between Mumbai and Nanded, currently 12 hours, in half. The expressway will pass through Parbhani, Jalna, and Nanded districts, with plans to eventually extend it to Hyderabad.
The notification for this highway was issued in September 2021, with a provision of Rs2,200 crore for land acquisition. However, even after three years, only around 22% of the 1,718 hectares of land has been acquired. Additionally, farmers are protesting claiming that the compensation they are receiving is less compared to what was given for the Samruddhi Highway.
The new expressway will directly connect the eastern Marathwada districts of Parbhani, Hingoli, and Nanded to the Samruddhi Highway. This will reduce travel time to Aurangabad, Pune, and Mumbai from these districts. Farmers, traders, entrepreneurs, students studying away from home, working professionals, and travellers will all benefit greatly from this project.
