Mumbai, June 5, 2025 — The final phase of the Hindu Hrudaysamrat Balasaheb Thackeray Maharashtra Samruddhi Mahamarg, commonly known as the Samruddhi Expressway, was officially opened to the public on Wednesday. With this development, the 701-km expressway connecting Nagpur to Mumbai is now fully operational.
The newly inaugurated stretch covers approximately 76 kilometres between Igatpuri in Nashik district and Vadpe near Thane. This final phase completes the high-speed, six-lane, access-controlled corridor, which aims to significantly cut travel time and boost economic development across Maharashtra.
The project, constructed by the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), is regarded as one of the most ambitious infrastructure initiatives in the country. The expressway now allows commuters to travel from Mumbai to Nagpur in just 8 to 9 hours, down from the previous 16 to 17 hours.
One of the highlights of the final phase is the twin tunnels built at Kasara Ghat, each extending over 7 kilometres. These tunnels, among the longest in India, pass through the Western Ghats and were constructed using advanced tunnelling technology. Several viaducts and high-level bridges have also been constructed to navigate the hilly terrain of Nashik and Thane districts.
The expressway is equipped with modern infrastructure features, including Intelligent Traffic Management Systems (ITMS), emergency call boxes, CCTV surveillance, and automated toll collection systems. Rest stops, fuel stations, and electric vehicle charging points are being developed along the route.
The Samruddhi Mahamarg passes through 10 districts and directly benefits 24 districts of Maharashtra, including Nagpur, Wardha, Amravati, Jalna, Aurangabad, Nashik, and Thane. The project is expected to improve connectivity to major economic centres, ports, industrial zones, and agricultural markets.
In addition to reducing travel time, the expressway is also expected to stimulate investment in logistics hubs, industrial parks, and agro-processing clusters located along its route. The government has identified the corridor as a key component of its broader development vision, aligned with the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan.
Environmental safeguards have been incorporated throughout the project, including animal underpasses, noise barriers, and rainwater harvesting systems to minimise ecological impact. Solar-powered lighting and sustainable construction practices have also been implemented in several sections.
Citizens, transporters, and industry stakeholders have welcomed the opening of the final stretch, calling it a major step toward modernising Maharashtra’s transport infrastructure. Authorities have stated that plans are underway to develop additional feeder roads to connect nearby cities like Pune, Jalgaon, and Ahmednagar to the Samruddhi corridor.
With the completion of this final phase, the Samruddhi Mahamarg is set to become a model expressway, offering world-class connectivity, safety, and economic potential for the state of Maharashtra.
