Mumbai: The much-awaited Samruddhi Mahamarg is finally to going be open to traffic partially from August 15th onwards. According to the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), which is the project implementing authority, the stretch between Shirdi and Nagpur comprising 520km will be opened first and so far work on this route is 95% complete. In fact, CM Eknath Shinde, himself told about this new inauguration date during a political party function at Kurla on Saturday.
The work on the entire 701km corridor between Mumbai and Nagpur is completed by 85% and will be opened to traffic by 2023, as per the MSRDC.
The erstwhile MVA government led by Uddhav Thackeray had planned to begin at least 210km stretch between Shelu Bazaar Washim and Nagpur on May 2 this year. However, the plan failed following the arch structure of a wildlife overpass at Waiphal near Butibori collapsed, a labourer was also killed in the mishap. The structure that collapsed was under Package-I from Shivmadka-Khadki Amgaon in Nagpur district.
According to the MSRDC, now the Samruddhi Mahamarg opening has been divided into three parts. In Part 1, the 520km stretch between Shirdi and Nagpur is to be opened. In Part 2, additional 103km stretch will be opened that brings 623 km of highway under traffic movement between Igatpuri and Nagpur and in Part 3, the entire 701 km stretch will be opened to the traffic by 2023.
It is to be noted that the Maharashtra Samruddhi Mahamarg has been divided into 16 packages comprising different contractors so as to complete the work as early as possible. Of which two packages — PKG 2 at Wardha and PKG 14 at Igatpuri was completed in record break time. Afcons worked on these two packages and emerged as the first contractor to complete the work ahead of schedule.
In Package 2, India’s largest wildlife overpass was constructed. It comprised construction of two wildlife overpasses and under passes. Abhijit Chakraborty, project manager of this package said that due to teamwork such massive volume of earthwork involved in the project was able to be done smoothly. The 58.4km stretch from village Khadki Amgaon to village Pimpalgaon, at Wardha, involved 10 million cum of open hill cutting, construction of two wildlife overpasses, one rotary and two interchanges, 18 million cum of earthwork, and erection of numerous steel structures, including major and minor bridges, as per the Afcons.
Whereas the twin tunnels at Igatpuri, in PKG-14, was completed in less than two years which turned out to be a national record. The milestones were achieved despite numerous challenges and the ruthless onslaught of the Covid-19 pandemic, added the Afcons team.
For the ambitious Highway project which is also known to be the pet project of Devendra Fadnavis, now Deputy Chief Minister, the state is spending over Rs 55,000 crore. The highway will have 24 interchanges, 38 bridges more than 30 metres long and 283 bridges that are less than 30 metres. The driving speed design of this highway is 150kmph.
