Hindustan Times ST (Mumbai) - HT Navi Mumbai Live
Nagpur E-way Phase 1 to open from May 2
IN FIRST PHASE, A 210 KM-STRETCH BETWEEN NAGPUR AND SHELU BAZAR WILL BE OPENED
Mehul R Thakkar
MUMBAI : Chief minister Uddhav Thackeray is expected to inaugurate the first phase of the 700 km-long Mumbai-Nagpur Expressway for the public on May 2, said Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) officials.
In the first phase, a 210 km-stretch between Nagpur and Shelu Bazar in Washim district will be opened and later, in phases, the entire Expressway will be made operational.
According to MSRDC officials, in the second phase, the Expressway will be opened from Washim to Shirdi, and in the last phase, the stretch between Shirdi and Mumbai will be made functional. Toll will start charging toll immediately, however, the first day might be free.
Officials added that although the target is to open the entire stretch by December 2022, due to Covid-induced delays, the entire stretch may only be opened by mid 2023.
Chandrakant Pulkundwar, joint managing director of MSRDC, said, “We are making preparations in full force to open the Expressway on May 2.”
Eknath Shinde, MSRDC chairman and urban development minister, also conducted an aerial survey on Friday and said that it was a ‘dream project’, that will ensure distance between Mumbai and Nagpur is cut to eight hours.
The MSRDC has set the speed limit at 120-kmph for the access controlled Expressway and as per the study, daily around 1,50,000 vehicles are expected to ply between Mumbai and Nashik. As per the average daily traffic study, the daily vehicle usage has been divided into more than 20 sections and the highest volume of traffic is anticipated between Mumbai and Nashik. Meanwhile, the entire stretch between Mumbai and Nagpur will have 26 toll booths and MSRDC has proposed a toll of ₹1,212 as one-way for light motor vehicles like cars and jeep. The distance between Mumbai and Nagpur via the Expressway is 701 km and toll will be charged on basis of km.