The Mumbai–Nagpur Expressway is a 701-kilometer-long expressway built with six wide lanes, connecting two major cities in Maharashtra. Its official name is Hindu Hrudaysamrat Balasaheb Thackeray Maharashtra Samruddhi Mahamarg. This major expressway project passes through ten districts and 390 villages, reshaping how people travel across the state.
This massive project was first announced in 2015. Land was acquired in 2017 to make way for construction. In December 2018, Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone, marking the official beginning of the expressway’s construction.
The goal of the expressway is not just to reduce travel time between Mumbai and Nagpur—it’s also meant to boost development in rural parts of Maharashtra. By improving road access, farmers, traders, and small businesses in far-off areas will be better connected to larger markets both within India and around the world.
The expressway also links important economic hubs, including the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) in Mumbai and the Multimodal International Hub Airport at Nagpur (MIHAN). The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) continues to work hard to turn this expressway into a successful and game-changing transport route for the state.
Table of Contents
Mumbai Nagpur Expressway Overview
- Length: 701 km
- Lanes: 6 (expandable to 8)
- Cost: ₹55,000 crore
- Starting Point: Amane village, Thane district
- Ending Point: Shivmadka village, Nagpur district
- Completion Time: July 2024
About Mumbai Nagpur Expressway
The Mumbai–Nagpur Expressway, also called the Hindu Hrudaysamrat Balasaheb Thackeray Maharashtra Samruddhi Mahamarg or Maharashtra Expressway-2 (ME-2), is a 701-kilometer-long expressway in Maharashtra. It is partly open and built with six lanes, but it can be expanded to eight lanes. This is one of the longest new expressways in India, linking Mumbai, the state’s main capital, with Nagpur, the third-largest city and second capital of Maharashtra.
The project was built by the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), which handles major infrastructure in the state. It was developed using the Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) model, where the contractor handles everything from design to construction.
The expressway starts at Shivmadka village in Nagpur district and ends at Amane village in Thane district. It provides better road connections to the Marathwada and Vidarbha regions, which were earlier less connected.
The total cost of the project is around ₹55,000 crore, including the cost of land. The Maharashtra government believes this expressway will boost economic growth and improve facilities for people across the state.
Mumbai Nagpur Expressway Route
The Samruddhi Mahamarg will pass through 10 main districts in Maharashtra: Nagpur, Wardha, Amravati, Washim, Buldhana, Jalna, Aurangabad, Nashik, Ahmednagar, and Thane. The total length of the highway is 701 kilometers. To improve connectivity, smaller highways and link roads will also be built. These will help connect major cities and popular tourist spots along the route, including those linked to the Nagpur–Mumbai Expressway.
Besides the 10 districts it directly passes through, the expressway will also connect 14 more districts through connecting roads. These include Chandrapur, Bhandara, Gondia, Gadchiroli, Yavatmal, Akola, Hingoli, Parbhani, Nanded, Beed, Dhule, Jalgaon, Palghar, and Raigarh.
The expressway will pass through 392 villages. Along the way, it will have underpasses, overpasses, and raised roads to ensure safe travel, especially in areas near wildlife zones. The longest tunnel on the route will be built at Kasara Ghat, near Igatpuri.
In total, the expressway will include 274 small bridges, 33 large bridges, 65 flyovers, and 6 tunnels—making it one of the most advanced roadways in the state.
Mumbai Nagpur Expressway Progress
Prime Minister Narendra Modi opened the first part of the Samruddhi Mahamarg between Nagpur and Shirdi on 11 December 2022 at the Waffle Toll Plaza in Nagpur.
The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), which is in charge of the project, said that construction was delayed due to the COVID-19 lockdown. Because of this, the deadline was moved from December 2021 to December 2022.
On 26 May 2023, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis opened Phase 2 of the expressway. This part runs from Shirdi to Bharveer in Igatpuri taluka, Nashik. It was planned to open to traffic the following week.
The final phase of the Mumbai–Nagpur Expressway is expected to be ready for the public by the end of 2023. However, since some work is still going on, the full expressway is likely to be fully open by July 2024.
Mumbai Nagpur Expressway Features
- Maharashtra Samruddhi Mahamarg, also known as the Mumbai Nagpur Expressway, is a marvel of design and engineering. It serves as a runway for airplanes in emergencies, wars, or natural disasters.
- This 6-lane, access-controlled super communication expressway with an overall width of 120 meters connects several tourism circuits, including eco, pilgrimage, and heritage tourism.
- The expressway’s integrated traffic management system will ensure safety by monitoring vehicle speeding, lane discipline, and breakdowns.
- This expressway is worth a visit as it features tunnel lighting, bridge beautification, road lighting improvements, and digital signage.
- It will be convenient for passengers as there will be rest areas, food plazas, and electric charging stations for electric vehicles every 40-50 km.
- The Samruddhi Mahamarg is designed to be energy-efficient, with electric car charging stations and solar plants generating 250 MW of energy.
- It has 65 flyovers/viaducts, 24 interchanges, 6 tunnels, over 400 vehicles, and 300 pedestrian and cattle underpasses at strategic locations.
Conclusion
The Mumbai–Nagpur Expressway is a 701 km long road with 6 lanes. It goes through the districts of Nagpur, Wardha, Amravati, Washim, Buldhana, Jalna, Aurangabad, Nashik, Ahmednagar, and Thane. This expressway will help improve life in rural areas by creating jobs and supporting the local economy. Since it’s a green project, about 12.68 lakh (1.26 million) trees will be planted along the road. The full expressway is expected to be open and running by December 2024.
