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Former CM Devendra Fadnavis envisioned the project, when it was named Balasaheb Thackeray by the MVA government and the first stretch was built when Eknath Shinde was the PWD minister.
Samruddhi Mahamarg is one of the longest expressways in India with a length of 701 km, connecting the eastern end of Maharashtra with the western end – from Vidarbha to Mumbai. (Image: News18)
It is an 11-hour journey from Nagpur to Mumbai via the ‘Hindu Hruday Samrat Balasaheb Thackeray Maharashtra Samruddhi Mahamarg’, the last three hours of which are required to complete the 76 km near Mumbai which has yet to be completed. However, it’s really smooth on the almost 625 km completed motorway.
CNN-News18 driving on the expressway, which is also at the center of politics after Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) of trying to create roadblocks in this particular project. One of the longest expressways in the country at 701 km, the road connects the eastern end of the country with the western end – from Vidarbha to Mumbai.
Former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis claims to have envisioned the project during his tenure, and the BJP is happy to share its development record. Starting near Nagpur, the giant gate toll gate marks the start of the toll road with officials checking the health of the tires to allow vehicles on the long road. With a maximum speed of 120 km/h, the vehicle zooms towards destinations like Wardha, Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar and Shirdi.
In fact, Shirdi, a popular spiritual and religious destination, is only four to five hours from Nagpur and can now be a day trip, thanks to the expressway. “It takes 20 to 24 hours to drive from Nagpur to Mumbai when the toll road is not there. If the toll road is completed till Nagpur, it will take only about 8 to 9 hours,” said a family traveling on the expressway from Wardha to Mumbai.
They had parked under the bridge for lunch. “This is a big problem on this road. There is still a lack of good refreshment places… one has no choice but to stop on the road to rest or take a bite. It is dangerous but there are some options,” he said.
Politics Behind the Toll Road
But do infrastructure projects bring sound? “Of course, people reward development. We will vote for BJP because it has made my journey from Mumbai to my hometown Wardha easier. Political parties keep fighting for credit for the project,” the family said. CNN-News18.
While Fadnavis always claimed the project was an idea, the foundation stone was laid by Modi in 2018. The first stretch of 520 km from Nagpur to Shirdi was opened in December 2022, when Mahayuti returned to power. The second phase of over 80 km between Shirdi and Igatpuri opens in May 2023, while busy work is underway on the last 75 km which will take the expressway to the Mumbai border near Thane.
Chief Minister Eknath Shinde is the public works department minister in the MVA government till 2022 and also claimed credit for building the first express line up to Shirdi in three years. The original deadline to complete the entire road was 2021.
During the MVA government, the Rs 55,000 crore expressway was renamed as ‘Hindu Hruday Samrat Balasaheb Thackeray Maharashtra Samruddhi Mahamarg’.
It takes one through various tunnels, majestic river bridges and wildlife sanctuaries. It also has significant political import as it connects the ‘underdeveloped’ region of Vidarbha with the ‘developed’ region of Mumbai-Thane – thereby linking the different economic regions of the country.
Refreshment facilities on the highway are few and far between and people don’t complain much because of the speed they offer. “We hope that the government that will come to power will complete the last leg of the toll road,” said the family.
