Over 200 farm ponds and check dams have been newly built along the Nagpur-Mumbai Samruddhi Mahamarg. An official of the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) said the state government encourages to adopt water conservation techniques in a bid to increase storage and recharge groundwater by way of developing farms ponds, check dams, and deepening of canals/rivers, besides other measures.
“Through this technique, the mud/muck obtained through excavation of ponds is used for the construction of big projects. Meanwhile, the farmers also get artificial ponds for their farming activities,” the official said, adding that water from these ponds is also used for project works.
Interestingly, artificial farm ponds have been developed in Vidarbha and Marathwada regions of Samruddhi Mahamarg, which are drought-prone areas. The official stated, “As a social obligation, the initiative was held. Samruddhi Mahamarg will be known as the road of prosperity, besides facilitating smooth movement of people and goods.”
According to the MSRDC, which is the special planning authority of the Samruddhi Mahamarg project, it has divided the civil works into 16 packages. Once open to the traffic, the 701-km expressway will reduce travel time between Nagpur and Mumbai by six hours. Currently, one has to take NH3 (Mumbai-Dhule) and then NH6 (Dhule-Nagpur) to reach Nagpur, travelling 800 km. The opening of phase 1 between Nagpur and Shirdi has been delayed due to the prevailing Covid-19 situation.
The Free Press Journal had reported that the MSRDC, while implementing the project, had also floated tenders for 14 quick response vehicles that can be deployed in emergency situations. Also, it is spending over Rs 300 crore on wildlife protection structures that includes underpasses and overpasses. Besides, 11 lakh trees will be planted along the corridor for which tenders have been floated.
