13 May,2025 07:51 AM IST | Mumbai | A Correspondent
The stretch of the Hindu Hrudaysamrat Balasaheb Thackeray Maharashtra Samruddhi Mahamarg between Igatpuri and Amane. Pic/By Special Arrangement
Motorists have been eagerly waiting to travel via the last leg of Samruddhi Mahamarg, from Igatpuri to Amane near Bhiwandi, but there is no clarity as to when the 76-km stretch will be opened. The Igatpuri-Amane leg of the 701-kilometre Mumbai-Nagpur expressway, officially known as the Hindu Hrudaysamrat Balasaheb Thackeray Maharashtra Samruddhi Mahamarg, was supposed to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the first week of May. However, following the April 22 Pahalgam attack, delays occurred owing to security reasons.
A source from Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) said, "The work on the Igatpuri-Amane leg of the Samruddhi Mahamarg has been completed, and it will be opened soon. However, no date has been decided yet." At present, motorists heading towards Nagpur have to travel up to Igatpuri via the Old Mumbai-Nashik highway in order to get onto the Samruddhi Mahamarg.
It had been reported that the last leg of the expressway would be inaugurated by the end of March. However, the date was pushed back as the final touches, including the installation of crash barriers and signage, were yet to be put. According to officials, there are a total of five tunnels and 16 bridges on the last leg of the expressway, and because of the difficult terrain, carrying out construction work on this stretch was a challenging task.
The expressway
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At present, the stretch from Nagpur to Igatpuri is operational for traffic, so commuters travelling from Mumbai to Nagpur or coming back have to take the old Mumbai-Nashik Highway up to Igatpuri before taking the Samruddhi Mahamarg. With the opening of the stretch between Igatpuri and Amane, motorists will be able to avoid the Kasara ghat and traffic on the old Mumbai-Nashik highway.
The Samruddhi Mahamarg is an important infrastructure project as it links Maharashtra's economic and agricultural hubs. The expressway passes through three varied habitats: the dry deciduous forests near Nagpur, grasslands in the middle section, and the Western Ghats near the Mumbai end of the stretch.
