The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) wants to develop industrial training centres and skill development centres along the Samruddhi Mahamarg which is also known as the super communication -expressway from Nagpur to Mumbai. A tender regarding the same has been issued inviting interested agencies to bid for the project.
A senior MSRDC official who did not wish to be named told the Free Press Journal, "Once the corridor is developed, the establishment of such growth centres will open up several opportunities. Also, this corridor will be providing direct connectivity to India's largest container port-- JNPT and therefore establishing such industrial and skill development centres will help the companies supplying goods and services to and fro. It will also provide job opportunities to nearby villagers and generate revenue to the government."
According to the MSRDC, a pre-bid meeting has been arranged on September 4 at 3 pm for interested agencies who desire to take up the work. The last date of submission of bids is September 18 till 3 pm by paying Rs 10,000 excluding GST to participate in the tender process.
Another official from MSRDC informed that the Samruddhi Mahamarg construction work is going on steadily and so far 35 per cent of construction work has been completed despite COVID-19 induced lockdown and other difficulties like manpower shortage. Moreover, 27 per cent of the project cost has been utilised so far.
The official explained, "We are expecting a few months of delay due to Covid and further depending on the situation. Like from Nagpur to Igatpuri the project as per our previous timeline was July 2021 however due to this pandemic the target we are expecting to extend until December 2021. Besides, the entire project timeline was of September 2022. However, there might be a delay of again four to five months depending upon the situation."
Meanwhile, the super communication expressway will have the longest tunnel between Igatpuri and Kasara Ghat, the MSRDC official informed that about four kilometres of tunneling work has been completed at Igatpuri.
The 700 kilometres of long expressway with three lanes on both the sides l once ready will reduce the travel time between Nagpur-Mumbai to six hours. Currently, to reach Nagpur, one has to take NH3 (Mumbai-Dhule) and then NH6 (Dhule-Nagpur) comprising 800 kilometres on road. The newly built super communication expressway will reduce about a hundred kilometres of road distance.
