Part of alternative Nagpur-Mumbai road to be ready next month

Nagpur, Oct 25 (UNI) The 431-km section in Vidarbha of the Nagpur-Aurangabad-Sinnar-Ghoti-Mumbai Road, being developed as an alternative to the existing Nagpur-Mumbai National Highway Number 6, will be completed by next month.

Speaking to reporters here today, Maharashtra State Roads Development Corporation (MSRDC) Superintending Engineer (SE) Sadashiv Mane said the section of the road, from Butibori, near Nagpur, to the border between Buldhana and Jalna districts, would be opened for traffic by November 15 next. The section was almost ready with traffic moving on some parts already, he said.

The section from Jalna border to Aurangabad was expected to be completed by December this year, Mr Mane said. The 700-km two-lane road would connect Nagpur to Mumbai via Wardha, Talegaon, Sindkhed Raja, Jalna, Aurangabad, Ghoti and Igatpuri, reducing the distance between the capital and the second capital of Maharashtra by 50 kms, he said.

The development of the road included widening, construction of bridges and flyovers, and strengthening. The section of the road in Vidarbha cost Rs 330.70 crore, he said, adding that the state government had released Rs 159 crore towards the cost, with the balance having been raised through borrowings. The load would be repaid through toll and commercial development of the land adjoining the road, Mr Mane said.

Mr Mane said that MSRDC had submitted to the state government proposals for integrated road development schemes (IRDP) at Gondia, Akola and the twin cities of Achalpur-Paratwada (district Amravati).

The outlay for the IRDP in Gondia was Rs 44 crore, for Akola Rs 100 crore and for Achalpur-Paratwada Rs 35.50 crore, he added.

UNI