New Delhi [India], January 25 (ANI/SRV): The first phase of the Nagpur-Mumbai Samruddhi Expressway, was recently inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, unlocking, via the express route, the possibilities of communication and commerce between the two major cities. The remaining 181-km stretch, of the envisioned 701-km-long highway, is set to be ready for use by 2024, reducing the current 17 hours-long Mumbai-Nagpur journey by 10 hours.

Testifying to the boost the project, worth Rs 55,335 crore, is set to bring to the connectivity, here are the key features of the projects: 5 flyovers, 33 major bridges, 274 minor bridges, 8 railway over bridges,25 interchanges, 6 tunnels, 189 underpasses, 110 underpasses for light vehicles, 209 underpasses for animal and pedestrians, 8 underpasses and 8 overpasses for wildlife movement.

Illustrating the much-anticipated wait for the highway, within a few days of inauguration, the 520 km-long route currently connecting Nagpur and Shirdi, the temple town located in the Ahmednagar district, witnessed the passage of over 50,000 vehicles. With the completion of the project, 10 districts, 26 talukas, and 392 villages will have better connectivity, while 24 districts, including the regions of Vidarbha, Marathwada and North Maharashtra, are anticipated to undergo an improved development.

In view of the development that the Nagpur-Mumbai Samruddhi Expressway can potentially bring about, Ravi Agrawal, a popular Nagpur-based investor and the Chairman of the L7 Group of Companies, said " Connecting Nagpur to Mumbai with an express route, Government of India, helmed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has opened doors to progress, not only for the tier-2 Nagpur but also for the districts on the way. Business costs, given the shortened distance and consequently reduced transportation costs, will go down, improving the flow of capital in the Nagpur market. Also, we will soon witness the rise in townships as well as operations of sectors such as logistics in the area, pushing the scope of employment in the area. Moreover, with the onset of the route, we will see valuable infrastructure being built along the highway, boosting commerce in a previously semi-developed landscape."

The entrepreneur further added, " The Samruddhi Marg project reflects MSRDC(Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation)'s vision to add over 41,000 km of highway across Maharashtra, towards the growth of the state which is already long-established as a business-centric region."

In addition to the central government's interest in the development of the area, via the project, Devendra Fadnavis, at the state government has been a driving force. Taking ahead this spirit of progress, MSRDC's initiative towards infrastructure development includes the 41,000 km grid composing: Jalna-Parbhani-Hingoli-Nanded: 200 km; Nagpur-Bhandara-Gondia: 150 km; Pune-Solapur: 230 km; Palghar-Mumbai: 100 km, and many other routes.

This story has been provided by SRV. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/SRV)