The Centre has approved new National Highway projects worth Rs 5,801 crore rupees for Maharashtra under the Annual Plan. Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari informed that, “the Annual Plan for National Highway works in Maharashtra was approved for Rs 2,727 crore. I got it enhanced to Rs 5,801 crore which will improve/ develop 1035 km of National Highways in the State.”
This length includes development of 406 km length to two lanes with paved shoulder standards at cost of Rs 3,037 crore. The Plan also includes reconstruction of five major bridges and 10 minor bridges at a cost of Rs 429 crore. In addition, Rs 1,800 crore rupees projects under the Central Road Fund scheme has also been sanctioned, Gadkari added.
The Minister informed that the Rs 100,000 crore greenfield Delhi-Mumbai Expressway will be extended till JNPT, to facilitate container traffic. Gadkari also said the Maharashtra Government will partner in its construction by the means of GST exemption and royalty-free supply of steel and cement, which will be considered as State Government equity in the project.
Gadkari further informed that in order to decongest Mumbai-Pune stretch of the National Highway, a separate North-South Highway corridor from Surat via Nashik – Ahmednagar – Solapur would be built for the traffic bound for the southern states.
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has built 3,771 km of concrete roads in Maharashtra. The target for construction during 2020-21 is 2,500 km out of which 1,394 km have so far been completed.