Cabinet okays Rs 19,142 crore project to build new 6-lane Nashik-Akkalkot highway

New Delhi, Dec 31 (IANS) The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday approved the construction of a 6-lane greenfield access-controlled Nashik-Solapur-Akkalkot corridor in Maharashtra on BOT (Toll) Mode across a length of 374 km with a total capital cost of Rs.19,142 crore.

The project will provide connectivity to important regional cities such as Nashik, Ahilyanagar, and Solapur, connecting to Kurnool. This infrastructure is a significant step to facilitate integrated transport infrastructure development under the PM Gatishakti National Master Plan principle, according to an official statement.

The greenfield corridor from Nashik to Akkalkot is proposed to be connected to the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway near Vadhawan port interchange, the Agra-Mumbai corridor in Nashik at junction with NH-60 (Adegaon), and the Samruddhi Mahamarg at Pangri (near Nashik).

The proposed corridor will provide through connectivity from the west coast to the east coast. From Chennai port end, 4-lane corridors are already in progress from Chennai to Hasapur (MH Border) via Thiruvallur, Renigunta, Kadappa, and Kurnool (700 km long).

The primary purpose of the proposed access-controlled six-lane greenfield project corridor is to improve travel efficiency, and it is expected to cut travel time by 17 hours and reduce the travel distance by 201 km.

Nashik-Akkalkot (Solapur) connectivity will improve logistics efficiency for freight originating and terminating at major National Industrial Corridor Development Corporation (NICDC) nodes of Kopparthy and Orvakal. The Nashik- Talegaon Dighe part of the section also addresses the requirement for development of Pune-Nashik Expressway, as identified by NICDC as a part of the proposed new Expressway being taken up by the Maharashtra government.

The project provides high speed corridor designed for improved safety and uninterrupted traffic movement, reducing travel time, congestion, and operating costs. Importantly, the project will enhance the basic infrastructure in the region, contributing to the overall economic development of Nashik, Ahilyanagar, Dharashiv, and Solapur districts, the statement said.

The 6-lane access-controlled greenfield corridor with close tolling will support average vehicular speeds of 60 km/h with da esign speed of 100 km/h. This will reduce the overall travel time to approximately 17 hours from 31 hours, while offering safer, faster, and uninterrupted connectivity for both passenger and freight vehicles.

The project will generate about 251.06 lakh man-days of direct employment and 313.83 lakh man-days of indirect employment. The project will also induce additional employment opportunities due to an increase in economic activity in the vicinity of the proposed corridor.