The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), led by PM Modi, has approved the construction of a six-lane, access-controlled greenfield corridor connecting Nashik, Solapur, and Akkalkot in Maharashtra at a total cost of ₹19,142 crore.
This 374 kms long project developed on a Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) toll basis. It aims to improve regional and inter-state connectivity while strengthening India’s transport infrastructure under the PM GatiShakti National Master Plan.
Cabinet approve ₹19,142 Crore Greenfield corridor
The proposed corridor will link major regional centres, including Nashik, Ahilyanagar, and Solapur, with further connections to Kurnool. It designed to connect with key national highways and expressways, such as the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway near the Vadhawan Port interchange, the Agra-Mumbai corridor at Nashik, and the Samruddhi Mahamarg near Pangri. Once completed, the corridor will allow smooth travel between India’s west and east coasts.
The government estimates that the project will greatly improve travel efficiency by cutting travel time from 31 hours to about 17 hours (a reduction of around 45 percent) and shortening the travel distance by roughly 201 kms.
It will also improve logistics efficiency for freight movement, especially for cargo linked to major National Industrial Corridor Development Corporation (NICDC) nodes, like Kopparthy and Orvakal.
Will generate 251 Lakh Jobs
The Nashik-Talegaon Dighe section of the project meet the need for a Pune-Nashik Expressway, which has been identified by NICDC and is being pursued by the Maharashtra government.
Planned as a high-speed, access-controlled corridor, the highway will support average vehicle speeds of 60 km/h, with a design speed of up to 100 km/h. The project expected to reduce congestion, enhance road safety, reduce operating costs, and ensure smooth travel for both passengers and freight.
The corridor should also boost regional economic development by improving infrastructure in Nashik, Ahilyanagar, Dharashiv, and Solapur districts. In terms of jobs opportunities, the project expected to generate around 251 lakh man-days of direct employment and nearly 314 lakh man-days of indirect employment. Additional job opportunities are likely to arise from increased economic activity along the corridor.
Read also: Haq Streams on Netflix, Reviving Yami Gautam and Emraan Hashmi’s Courtroom Drama