Mumbai: Alongside building expressways across the state, the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) is now making a mark in renewable energy. On Monday, solar power generation officially began at two interchanges along the Hindu Hriday Samrat Balasaheb Thackeray Maharashtra Samruddhi Mahamarg, making it the country’s first expressway to integrate a solar project of this kind.
Samruddhi Expressway Becomes India’s 1st Indian Mega Highway To Generate Solar Power |
The 701-km Samruddhi Expressway, which connects Nagpur to Mumbai, has already carried more than 2.25 crore vehicles since its launch. From the project’s inception, MSRDC had envisioned not only faster connectivity but also tapping into clean energy. The plan involves installing solar plants across interchanges on the route with a cumulative capacity of 204 MW.
Samruddhi Expressway Becomes India’s 1st Indian Mega Highway To Generate Solar Power |
In the first phase, solar plants have been commissioned at Karanja Lad in Washim district and Mehkar in Buldhana district, with an installed capacity of 9 MW. Of this, 3 MW from Karanja Lad and 2 MW from Mehkar started feeding power into the grid on Monday. Officials said this move gives MSRDC an alternative source of revenue beyond toll collection.
The power will be sold to the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) under a 2022 agreement between MSEDCL and MahaSamruddhi Renewable Energy Ltd, MSRDC’s special purpose vehicle for renewable energy projects. The tariff under the Chief Minister’s Solar Agriculture Feeder Scheme 1 was finalised at Rs 3.05 per unit.
Samruddhi Expressway Becomes India’s 1st Indian Mega Highway To Generate Solar Power |
“This is a major milestone in MSRDC’s journey. Not only the Samruddhi Expressway, but we are also exploring similar solar projects at interchanges of upcoming expressways. In addition to revenue, the generation will earn carbon credits, which will help secure loans for future infrastructure projects,” said Manuj Jindal, Joint Managing Director of MSRDC.
The solar initiative is being implemented under the leadership of MSRDC Vice Chairman and Managing Director Anilkumar Gaekwad. The project was executed with guidance from Jindal, and senior officials including Narendra Toke (Chief General Manager, Environment), Sridhar Machha (Chief Financial Officer), Deepak Sonatakke (Chief Engineer) and executive engineers Bhushan Malkhandale, Satish Akode and Nitin Zadbuke.
With these steps, the Samruddhi Mahamarg is not just a high-speed corridor connecting Maharashtra’s two key cities but also a model of sustainable infrastructure. By combining mobility with renewable energy, the project aims to set a benchmark for future expressway developments in India.
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