In a major push for next-generation infrastructure, the Union Cabinet on Wednesday gave its nod for the construction of a massive new greenfield highway in Maharashtra. The 374-kilometre access-controlled Nashik-Solapur-Akkalkot highway, a crucial segment of the ambitious Surat-Chennai high-speed corridor, has been approved at an estimated cost of Rs 19,142 crore.
A Landmark Project in Highway Development
Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced that this project will be the largest highway project by value to be undertaken on a Build, Operate, and Transfer (BOT) basis in the history of India's National Highway development. This model involves private players building and operating the road for a concession period before transferring it back to the government.
In a separate decision, the Cabinet also approved the widening and strengthening of a 206-kilometre stretch from Mohana to Koraput on NH-326 in Odisha. With an estimated cost of Rs 1,526 crore, this project aims to improve connectivity to major economic corridors and provide better last-mile access to Gopalpur port and Jeypore airport.
Transformative Impact and Strategic Benefits
Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the Maharashtra highway decision as a step towards building next-generation infrastructure. On social media platform X, he stated that the transformative project, aligned with the PM Gati Shakti initiative, will significantly reduce travel time, strengthen west-east connectivity, boost logistics efficiency, and create large-scale employment.
Officials highlighted that the corridor will serve as a vital alternative to the existing Mumbai-Chennai route. Minister Vaishnaw explained that the travel time between Nashik and Solapur will drop due to a shorter distance and the ability for vehicles to maintain higher speeds on the access-controlled expressway.
The most dramatic time saving will be on the entire Surat-Chennai route, with travel duration expected to be cut by 45% — from 31 hours currently to just 17 hours. This will greatly facilitate the movement of heavy traffic from industrial hubs like Surat, Vadodara, and Mumbai towards southern destinations such as Kurnool, Bengaluru, and Chennai.
Project Execution and Timeline
The government has set an ambitious completion target of two years from the date work begins. To ensure this, officials clarified that the project will be put out for bidding only after 90% of the required land is acquired and all necessary approvals are in place. They confirmed that land acquisition for the entire project is already at an advanced stage.
The massive highway will be developed in two large packages: a 152-km section from Nashik to Ahilyanagar and a 222-km section from Ahilyanagar to Akkalkot. Traffic on this new corridor is projected to be around 39,000 Passenger Car Units (PCUs) per day.
Financially, while the government may provide a viability gap funding of approximately Rs 495 crore for the first package, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is likely to receive an annual premium from the successful private builders who win the contract, making it a financially structured endeavour.
