New Delhi, Dec 31 (NationPress) The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has granted approval for the construction of a 6-lane greenfield access-controlled corridor spanning Nashik-Solapur-Akkalkot in Maharashtra. This project, executed under the BOT (Toll) model, will cover a total length of 374 km with a capital investment of ₹19,142 crore.

This corridor aims to enhance connectivity to key regional hubs including Nashik, Ahilyanagar, and Solapur, and will link to Kurnool. According to an official announcement, this infrastructure development is pivotal for advancing integrated transport systems in line with the PM Gatishakti National Master Plan.

The proposed greenfield corridor will connect with the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway near the Vadhawan port interchange, as well as the Agra-Mumbai corridor at the NH-60 junction in Nashik and the Samruddhi Mahamarg at Pangri, close to Nashik.

This initiative is designed to provide seamless connectivity from the west coast to the east coast. Currently, 4-lane corridors are under construction from Chennai to Hasapur (MH Border), covering a distance of 700 km through Thiruvallur, Renigunta, Kadappa, and Kurnool.

The primary objective of this access-controlled six-lane corridor is to enhance travel efficiency, expected to reduce travel time by 17 hours and shorten distances by 201 km.

The Nashik-Akkalkot connectivity is anticipated to boost logistics efficiency for freight at major nodes of the National Industrial Corridor Development Corporation (NICDC), specifically at Kopparthy and Orvakal. Additionally, the Nashik-Talegaon Dighe stretch addresses the demand for the Pune-Nashik Expressway, recognized by NICDC as part of the Maharashtra government's upcoming infrastructure projects.

This corridor is engineered for high-speed travel, emphasizing safety and smooth traffic flow, which will minimize travel time, alleviate congestion, and lower operational costs. Importantly, it is set to bolster the fundamental infrastructure in the region, thus contributing significantly to the economic upliftment of Nashik, Ahilyanagar, Dharashiv, and Solapur districts.

The 6-lane access-controlled greenfield corridor will facilitate average vehicle speeds of 60 km/h, with a design speed of 100 km/h. This will effectively decrease total travel time from 31 hours to approximately 17 hours, providing safer, faster, and more consistent connectivity for both passenger and freight traffic.

The project is projected to create about 251.06 lakh man-days of direct employment and 313.83 lakh man-days of indirect employment. Furthermore, it will stimulate additional job opportunities driven by heightened economic activity around the proposed corridor.