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The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday approved the Construction of a 6-lane greenfield access-controlled Nashik- Solapur-Akkalkot Corridor in the State of Maharashtra on BOT (Toll) Mode with a project length of 374 km with a total Capital Cost of Rs 19,142 crore.
This project will provide connectivity to critical regional cities such as Nashik, Ahilyanagar, and Solapur, connecting to Kurnool, as indicated in the map. This initiative is a significant step toward enabling integrated transport development under the PM Gatishakti National Master Plan, a release said. The greenfield corridor from Nashik to Akkalkot is proposed to be connected to the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway near the Vadhawan port interchange; to the Agra-Mumbai corridor at Nashik, at the junction with NH-60 (Adegaon); and to the Samruddhi Mahamarg at Pangri (near Nashik). The proposed corridor will provide through connectivity from the west coast to the east coast. From the Chennai port end, 4-lane corridors are already in progress from Chennai to Hasapur (MH Border) via Thiruvallur, Renigunta, Kadapa, and Kurnool (700 km). The primary purpose of the proposed access-controlled six-lane greenfield project corridor is to improve travel efficiency. It is expected to reduce travel time by 17 hours and reduce the travel distance by 201 km. Nashik - Akkalkot (Solapur) connectivity will improve logistics efficiency for freight originating and terminating at major National Industrial Corridor Development Corporation (NICDC) nodes of Kopparthy and Orvakal. Nashik - Talegaon Dighe part of the section also addresses the requirement for development of Pune-Nashik Expressway, as identified by NICDC as a part of the proposed new Expressway being taken up by the State Government of Maharashtra. The project provides a high-speed corridor designed to improve safety and ensure uninterrupted traffic flow, reducing travel time, congestion, and operating costs. Significantly, the project will enhance the region's basic infrastructure, contributing to the overall economic development of the Nashik, Ahilyanagar, Dharashiv, and Solapur districts. The 6-lane access-controlled greenfield corridor with close tolling, supporting average vehicular speeds of 60 km/h with a design speed of 100 km/h. This will reduce overall travel time to approximately 17 hours (a 45% reduction from 31 hours), while providing safer, faster, and uninterrupted connectivity for both passenger and freight vehicles. The project will generate about 251.06 lakh man-days of direct employment and 313.83 lakh man-days of indirect jobs. The project will also create additional employment opportunities by increasing economic activity along the proposed corridor. (ANI)
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