Mumbai: The final 76-kilometer stretch from Igatpuri to Amane in Thane is set to open for traffic on June 5th, with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar attending the ceremony at Igatpuri. This section is part of the Samruddhi Mahamarg, officially named Hindu Hrudaysamrat Balasaheb Thackeray Maharashtra Samruddhi Mahamarg. The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) has completed this 701-kilometer corridor, and the state government has approved the inauguration date. Originally expected to open in September or October of last year, delays occurred due to unfinished spur road work connecting Amane to the Vadodara–Mumbai Expressway, crucial for access to the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) Road. With the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) now completing this connection, officials confirm seamless integration into the highway network. This final segment allows travelers to bypass the steep Kasara Ghat, enhancing safety and significantly reducing travel time between Amane and Igatpuri. Currently, 625 kilometers of the Samruddhi Mahamarg, from Nagpur to Igatpuri, are open. Once the last segment is inaugurated, travel time between Nagpur and Thane will drop from 16 hours to just eight, transforming logistics across Maharashtra.
In conjunction with the final segment of the expressway, the MSRDC is also undertaking another significant infrastructure enhancement, which involves the expansion of the heavily trafficked 21.6-kilometer section of the old Mumbai-Nashik Highway between Vadpe and Majiwada in Thane. This corridor, which experiences a substantial volume of commercial vehicles due to the presence of large warehouses in Bhiwandi, is being widened from four lanes to eight lanes. The highway expansion initiative, with an estimated budget of Rs 1,182 crore, is being executed under the Hybrid Annuity Model (HAM), whereby MSRDC and NHAI share the initial costs. NHAI will reimburse MSRDC in installments over a period of 15 years, thereby ensuring a sustainable financial structure. As the expansion work continues, the state has decided to open the final stretch of the newly constructed Samrudddhi Mahamarg highway.
