Samruddhi Expressway corridor of Maharashtra's prosperity, says Fadnavis
Fadnavis said by connecting the expressway with the proposed Vadhvan port, they are planning to develop it as an 'economic corridor' of the state.
Fadnavis described the Mumbai-Nagpur Samruddhi Mahamarg as an 'engineering marvel' and said this 'economic corridor' would play a vital role in the state's development.
Mumbai, Jun 5 (PTI) Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday inaugurated the final 76-km-long stretch of the Samruddhi Mahamarg, making the entire 701-km Mumbai-Nagpur corridor fully functional and bringing down the travel time between the two cities to 8 hours from around 18 hours.
A smart integrated traffic management system (ITMS) will be installed on the expressway soon, the CM said.
'We have given right of way to Gas Authority of India Ltd (GAIL) to lay a pipeline alongside the road from Konkan to Nagpur to Gadchiroli so that all the industries, including the upcoming Gadchiroli Steel City, situated alongside the road will use gas as fuel for their operations,' he said.
Fadnavis said it is a moment of happiness and also an 'accomplishment of the dream' for his Mahayuti government.
'The Samruddhi Mahamarg is an economic corridor of Maharashtra's prosperity. It has connected 24 districts of the state with Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) near Mumbai. Soon, the highway will be connected to the upcoming Vadhvan port,' Fadnavis said.
The expressway has a frequency of 10 lakh vehicles per month at present and this will grow further, Fadnavis said, adding he was happy the project was started and completed under the Mahayuti government, and that all three of its top leaders (CM and two deputy CMs) were present.
'The proposed Shaktipeeth Expressway will similarly bring about economic turnaround of Marathwada. Work on it will begin soon,' the CM added.
Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde termed it a 'game changer' project for the state and urged people to use it by observing traffic rules and speed norms.
The expressway project witnessed a cost escalation to Rs 61,000 crore from Rs 55,000 crore, Deputy CM Ajit Pawar said.
Pawar, at the start of his speech, referred to Shinde as CM before correcting his mistake, the faux pas bringing a smile on the faces of those assembled.
'This is the dream project of CM Fadnavis. It was started when he was CM and has been completed when he is CM again. It happens on rare occasions when those who start a project complete it. I remember those who opposed it at first later gave their land for the project and earned money (compensation),' Pawar added.
Besides Fadnavis and the deputy CMs, Maharashtra ministers Dada Bhuse, Shivendraraje Bhosale and Narhari Zirwal attended the inauguration ceremony at Igatpuri, located about 140 km from Mumbai, that was held around 1.45 pm.
After the inauguration, the chief minister also inspected the longest Igatpuri tunnel of the expressway and viaduct in the stretch.
To conduct an inspection of the expressway, Deputy CM Shinde drove a high-end car with Chief Minister Fadnavis sitting beside him on the front seat and Pawar occupying the back seat.
The inspection lasted around 45 minutes, including the time taken for the journey between Igatpuri and Amane.
On the way back, Fadnavis and Shinde swapped seats with the CM getting behind the wheel, while Pawar remained in the same seat.
Injecting humour into the proceedings, Pawar remarked that he was just observing if Shinde was driving well and was happy that everything went off smoothly.
'In the return leg, CM Fadnavis observed speed limits so we reached safely and I am now addressing this gathering. We could not use the insurance (cover) we had taken,' Pawar said as the gathering burst out laughing.
The newly-constructed third creek bridge near Vashi Sion-Panvel Highway was also inaugurated via video conferencing on the occasion.
With the inauguration of the final stretch between Igatpuri in Nashik district to Amane in Bhiwandi taluka of Thane district, this six-lane expressway, officially called 'Hindu Hridaysamrat Balasaheb Thackeray Maharashtra Samruddhi Mahamarg', has now been opened for traffic since Thursday evening, the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRDC) said.
'Previously, the journey from Nagpur to Mumbai via the old route would take 17 to 18 hours. The same distance (between Nagpur and Amane in Thane district) can now be covered in eight hours,' the MSRDC said in a release.
After the opening of the final phase for traffic, pilgrims travelling from Thane-Mumbai region to Shirdi in Ahilyanagar district will benefit, while farmers from Shirdi, Ahilyanagar, Sinnar and Igatpuri (in Nashik district) can transport their agricultural produce to and from the Mumbai Metropolitan Region efficiently and in less time, it said.
Samruddhi Mahamarg links Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (Navi Mumbai) and major tourist destinations like Shirdi, Ajanta-Ellora Caves (Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar) and Lonar lake (Buldhana).
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the first phase covering 520 km between Nagpur and Shirdi on December 11, 2022.
The second 80-km phase from Shirdi (Kokamthan) to Bharvir Interchange (Nashik district) was inaugurated on May 26, 2023. The third 25-km corridor between Bharvir Interchange to Igatpuri was thrown open for traffic on March 4, 2024.
The expressway traverses through 392 villages in 26 talukas across 10 districts, namely Nagpur, Wardha, Amravati, Washim, Buldhana, Jalna, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Ahilyanagar, Nashik and Thane. PTI KK COR NP GK BNM
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indian Express
35 minutes ago
- Indian Express
MPC's June meeting: In pursuit of growth
The June meeting of the RBI's Monetary Policy Committee contained many surprises. As against expectations of a 25 basis point cut in interest rates, the committee lowered the benchmark repo rate by 50 basis points. This brings the cumulative cuts since February to 100 basis points. The repo rate now stands at 5.5 per cent. The rationale for doing so seems straightforward. As RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra said, 'It is imperative to continue to stimulate domestic private consumption and investment through policy levers to step up the growth momentum.' And muted inflation provides the central bank the space to lower interest rates to do so. Inflation had edged lower to 3.16 per cent in April and is likely to stay subdued. A favourable monsoon bodes well for farm output and there are expectations of major commodities such as crude oil witnessing moderation. Forecasts by the RBI and most analysts do indicate softness in prices. As per the central bank's latest forecast, retail inflation, as measured by the consumer price index, is expected to average 3.7 per cent in 2025-26 (3.15 per cent in the first half of the year and 4.15 per cent in the second half). This is lower than its earlier estimate of 4 per cent. Alongside the rate cut, the RBI has also unexpectedly cut the cash reserve ratio by 100 basis points to boost liquidity. As per the central bank, this measure could release primary liquidity of Rs 2.5 lakh crore by December 2025. This will aid in policy transmission. However, at the same meeting, the RBI also unexpectedly announced a change in its policy stance from 'accommodative' to 'neutral', after having shifted it only in the last meeting. In the April policy meeting, the RBI Governor had said that the 'stance of monetary policy signals the intended direction of policy rates going forward'. This sudden decision is being viewed by some as signalling a pause in the rate cut cycle. In his comments, Malhotra did say that 'monetary policy is left with very limited space to support growth'. And though the central bank has retained its estimate of GDP growth for 2025-26 at 6.5 per cent, there does remain considerable uncertainty over the growth momentum. In fact, it has noted that 'spillovers emanating from protracted geopolitical tensions, and global trade and weather-related uncertainties, pose downside risks to growth'. Thus, taken together, the various announcements in the June meeting do suggest that the central bank will probably adopt a wait-and-watch approach over the coming months as it assesses the impact of the measures it has announced so far. Policy action in this period will depend on how the trajectory of growth and inflation evolves.
India.com
39 minutes ago
- India.com
Meet 81-Year-Old Who Sold Detergent Door-to-Door On Bicycle, Took Rs 15,000 Loan, Now Leads Rs 23,000 Crore Firm — Know His Net Worth
photoDetails english 2912216 Updated:Jun 07, 2025, 07:31 AM IST Born in a Small Village 1 / 8 Karsanbhai Patel was born in 1945 in Ruppur, a small village in Gujarat. Raised in a financially constrained household, he understood the value of hard work early on. Despite limited resources, he was determined to build a better life. He pursued a in Chemistry and secured a modest government job—first as a lab assistant at New Cotton Mills and then at the Geology and Mining Department of Gujarat. From Government Job to Side Hustle 2 / 8 In 1969, Karsanbhai Patel began making detergent powder in his backyard, using a small loan of Rs 15,000. Before heading to his government job, he would sell handmade detergent packets door-to-door on his bicycle in Ahmedabad. Solving a Common Man's Problem 3 / 8 At that time, major detergent brands were priced beyond the reach of ordinary families. Patel saw this gap and formulated a low-cost yet effective alternative. He called it Nirma, named in memory of his late daughter, Nirupama. His pricing strategy — just Rs 13 per kg — struck a chord with middle-class households across India. From Backyard to Brand 4 / 8 Initially, Nirma was produced and packaged by hand in Patel's backyard. As word spread and demand grew, he took a small unit on rent to scale up production. His blend of quality, affordability, and trust made Nirma a household name. The simple, relatable packaging featuring the 'Nirma girl' helped solidify its identity. Advertising That Stuck With A Generation 5 / 8 Nirma's TV and radio jingles — 'Washing powder Nirma!' — became iconic across India. Its messaging appealed to homemakers and positioned the brand as both family-friendly and pocket-friendly. The combination of mass appeal and low price allowed Nirma to dominate even in rural markets. A Diversified FMCG Empire 6 / 8 By the 1990s, Nirma had expanded into soaps, beauty products, and other personal care items. It also became one of the world's largest producers of soda ash. Today, Nirma employs over 18,000 people and earns Rs 7,000 crore in annual revenue. The group's total turnover exceeds Rs 23,000 crore, with cement brand Nuvoco Vistas also under its belt. A Visionary Beyond Business 7 / 8 Patel didn't just stop at business. He founded the Nirma Education and Research Foundation (NERF) and Nirma University, which have become prestigious institutions in Gujarat. His contributions to business and education have earned him many accolades, including the Udyog Ratna Award (1990) and Ernst & Young Lifetime Achievement Award (2006). Net Worth 8 / 8 As of June 2025, Karsanbhai Patel's net worth is estimated at 5.1 billion dollars (Rs 42,585 crore), as per Forbes. His journey from cycling with detergent packets to leading one of India's most recognizable consumer brands is a testament to grit, vision, and the spirit of Indian entrepreneurship.
Time of India
39 minutes ago
- Time of India
Kota bank fraud: ICICI bank employee altered customer mobile numbers; stole Rs 4.58 crore over 3 years
ICICI employee swindles over 4.5cr from Kota city branch, arrested KOTA: In a major bank fraud, a relationship manager of ICICI Bank, Sakshi Gupta, has allegedly siphoned off Rs 4.58 crore from customer accounts in Kota city. The accused worked at Shriram Nagar branch of DCM area in Kota and committed the fraud during the 2020-23 period. She was arrested by the Udhyog Nagar police on May 31 following investigation. The crime first came to light on Feb 18, following which the branch manager lodged a complaint with the police. According to police, for around two-and-a-half years, Sakshi withdrew funds fraudulently from over 100 accounts of 41 customers. She purportedly invested the money in the stock market, but suffered heavy losses. To prevent customers from noticing, she changed the mobile numbers linked to several accounts to numbers belonging to her relatives, ensuring that transaction alerts and OTPs were not received by the real account holders. Bank manager Tarun Dadhich subsequently filed a complaint against her. According to Udhyog Nagar police station SI Ibrahim, the fraud was first reported on Feb 18. From 2020 to 2023, Sakshi had systematically transferred funds from various customer accounts, in some cases using an elderly woman's account, who was unaware of the activity, as a 'pool account'. She had transferred over Rs 3 crore into this account. Police probe confirmed that Sakshi misused debit cards, PINs and OTPs for these unauthorised transactions, and even activated overdraft facilities on 40 accounts without consent. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch vàng CFDs với mức chênh lệch giá thấp nhất IC Markets Đăng ký Undo She also prematurely closed fixed deposits of 31 customers, channelling Rs 1.34 crore into unauthorised accounts. In addition, a fraudulent personal loan for Rs 3.4 lakh was disbursed. Many transactions were conducted through insta kiosks and various digital banking platforms, with the accused using debit cards of four customers for ATM and internet banking activity. Funds from these frauds were also sent to Demat accounts as part of an attempted cover-up, police said. A statement issued by the ICICI Bank said, "The interest of our customers are of paramount importance to us. Immediately upon discovering the fraudulent activity, we filed an FIR with the police. We have a zero-tolerance policy against any fraudulent activity and thus suspended the employee involved. We would like to reassure that genuine claims of impacted customers have been settled." Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Eid wishes , messages , and quotes !
