Mumbai-Nagpur Samruddhi Expressway will be game-changer, increase trade: Maha CM

As the Nagpur to Shirdi stretch of the Mumbai-Nagpur Samruddhi Expressway is set to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 11 December, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Sunday inspected the work on the stretch ahead of the PM's visit. He affirmed that the expressway will be a game-changer and will bring Mumbai and Nagpur close, giving a boost to the trade between the cities.

"Mumbai-Nagpur Samruddhi Expressway will be a game changer project. The travel time of 18 hours will come down to six to seven hours. Mumbai and Nagpur will come closer and trade will increase. It will also help farmers," Shinde said speaking to the reporters at Nagpur airport.

He expressed joy at the fact that on 11 December, the 520 km of the expressway from Nagpur to Shirdi will be open to the public.

The Chief Minister added that the expressway will bring prosperity to the nation and the people of Maharashtra as it will integrate 10 districts directly and 14 indirectly. The 701-km long stretch passes through 392 villages over 11 districts. The project's total cost is around Rs. 49,250 crores.

"It gives me satisfaction that the project has been named after Hindu Hriday Samrat Balasaheb Thackeray," Shinde said.

In other news from the state, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Saturday addressed an event in Mumbai to mark the International Day of Disabled Persons. He announced the setting up of a separate Divyang department to look after the needs of differently-abled people.

"The government has created 2,063 posts for the new department which will formulate policies for the welfare of the disabled by taking into consideration views of the stakeholders," he said.

He added that Maharashtra will be the first state to have a such department for differently-abled persons and the fund allocation for the department will be ₹1,143 crore.

With inputs from PTI