The Project Life Cycle

The Initiation Phase

The acquisition of land for the proposed Rs 46,000-crore Nagpur-Mumbai expressway is
almost complete with 80% of the total 8,603 hectares required already in possession of the
implementing authority, Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC).
The acquisition of land for the proposed Rs 46,000-crore Nagpur-Mumbai expressway is
almost complete with 80% of the total 8,603 hectares required already in possession of the
implementing authority, Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC). This
paves the way for the process of finalising bidders for the marquee project, construction for
which is expected to start by September.
Radheshyam Mopalwar, VC & MD, MSRDC, said only about 2,000 hectares of privately
held land remained to be acquired. He said, “The total private land is 7,344 hectares out
which we have 5,312 hectares in our possession, which we acquired from 17,353 farmers. A
total of 9,157 sale deeds have been registered and MSRDC has already disbursed Rs 4,470
crore.”
For the remaining 2,000 hectares of private land, Mopalwar added MSRDC still needs to
negotiate with another 10,000 farmers since the land holdings are smaller in the western part
of Maharashtra where the land remains to be acquired. With respect to the funds for the
project, MSRDC’s initial requirement is for Rs 27,000 crore towards construction costs.
MSRDC already has in-principle letters from a clutch of domestic banks committing to about
Rs 20,000 crore.
This does not include State Bank of India (SBI), which, along with a few other banks and/or
financial institutions, is expected to contribute about Rs 7,000 crore. The concession
agreement (CA) for the project is currently being evaluated by the state government’s finance
department. It has already been vetted by the law and planning departments. Once all three
approvals are in place, the CA will be placed before the state Cabinet for its final nod.
Following this, Mopalwar said the banks will issue the sanction letters for the funds they have
committed. He said, “We will receive the closure letters once the state Cabinet gives its
approval because the CA stands as a guarantee to the lenders. The final cost for the project
will also be frozen at that time.”
In addition, the South Korean government, which had expressed interest in the project in
September 2017, is yet to decide on the amount it will commit. It is believed that they are
evaluating the 16 construction packages and may evince interest in funding at least one or
two of these. Subsequently, MSRDC signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with
Korean Expressway Corporation (KEC) in March this year to promote technological
cooperation and exchanges in road transportation.
According to the MoU, KEC will review traffic volume and the construction budget for the
project as well as provide technical support for an optimal project plan. Mopalwar added
other countries such as Malaysia and the UAE are also interested in funding the project.
MSRDC is currently evaluating the financial bids to ensure the project is awarded in time for
construction to commence by September.

The Planning Phase

The Maharashtra government has started planning the development of six townships that will
come up along the 701-km Mumbai-Nagpur Expressway by appointing consultants to prepare
a development plan.
The proposed townships are meant to be self-sustaining hubs that will have commercial and
residential clusters, as well as a few ago-based industries. MSRDC officials said the
development of the 17 townships will also generate employment in the area.
The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), the nodal agency for chief
minister Devendra Fadnavis’ pet project, has appointed companies such as Crisil and HCP to
make plans for the six townships over the next year. The MSRDC wants to develop 17 such
townships in all.
For now, plans will be prepared for 2,718.73 hectares, or two villages, in the Thane district;
1,133.02 hectares (seven villages) in Wardha; 1,944.07 hectares (three villages) in Buldhana;
1,967.95 hectares across four villages between Ahmednagar and Aurangabad districts; and
1,274.49 hectares (two villages) and 1048.52 hectares (four villages) in Aurangabad alone.
“As farmers have pooled their lands at these locations, we have appointed consultants to
design the area. As and when farmers agree in the other areas, we will begin the process of
appointing consultants there too,” said a senior official from MSRDC. Another senior official
said farmers from three or four other areas have also given their consent.
The corporation had initially planned to develop 24 townships along the expressway. For the
development of the expressway, the state government has taken a leaf out of Andhra
Pradesh’s Amaravati model of land acquisition, and adopted the land-pooling method. The
six townships will come up at locations where farmers have already pooled in their land.
Accordingly, it will offer cash and developed annuity-based returns to the farmers, making
them partners in the project.
The Execution Phase
Mumbai to Nagpur in just 8 hours via a new super expressway! Called the Maharashtra
Samruddhi Mahamarg, a super communication expressway is expected to be ready by the end
of 2020, states a ToI report. Currently, it takes anywhere between 14 to 15 hours to complete
a journey between the two cities. According to the report, the land acquisition process for the
project, worth Rs 55,000 crore, is almost complete. Moreover, with funding in place and the
development work has begun on several stretches of the 701-km long Maharashtra
Samruddhi Mahamarg corridor. Radheshyam Mopalwar, MD of Maharashtra State Road
Development Corporation (MSRDC) was quoted in the report saying that the corporation
plans to commission the project by 2021. One of the major highlights of the expressway
project is that it is an entirely greenfield in nature. A greenfield project is one which is built
from scratch without removing any existing structure. Here are 10 things to know about the
upcoming big infrastructure Mumbai-Nagpur super communication expressway project:
1) According to Maharashtra Samruddhi Mahamarg project website, the Mumbai-Nagpur
super communication expressway will bring down the Mumbai and Nagpur journey time to 8
hours; Mumbai to Aurangabad to 4 hours and Aurangabad to Nagpur to 4 hours.
2) The Mumbai-Nagpur super communication expressway will pass through 10 districts.
These are; Thane, Nashik, Ahmednagar, Jalna, Aurangabad, Buldana, Washim, Amravati,
Wardha and Nagpur. Not only will the super expressway connect Nagpur to Mumbai, but it
will also provide direct connectivity to country’s largest container port – JNPT.
3) Having a width of 120 m with a central median of 22.5 m, the expressway will follow the
international standards of design. It will include 8 lanes, 4 lanes on each side. Also, a
provision has been made in the center of the expressway, in case there is a need to increase
lanes on either side.

Mumbai-Nagpur expressway route map

4) The highway will include over 50 flyovers, over 24 interchanges, more than 5 tunnels,
more than 400 vehicular and over 300 pedestrian underpasses at strategic locations.
5) The highway project has been envisioned as a “Zero Fatality Mahamarg”. Additionally, it
will be provided with CCTV surveillance feature as well as free telephone booths at every 5
km in order to allow reporting in case of any emergency.
6) Other features of the expressway include; tunnel lighting, bridge beautification, extensive
landscaping, improved street lighting, rain water harvesting and digital signage.
7) The Mumbai-Nagpur super communication expressway will also have the facility to be
runway for fighter jets and aircraft in war-like situations and emergencies.

Mumbai-Nagpur expressway to link several tourist destinations

8) The entry and exit of the Mumbai-Nagpur super communication expressway will be
managed via toll which will be charged on the basis of the distance travelled. The toll
collection is expected to be automated.
9) Service roads on both sides will be connected with underpasses. The utility Mahamarg
along the proposed expressway will have gas pipelines, electricity lines, OFC cables etc.
10) The Maharashtra Samruddhi Mahamarg project, which is being implemented by
MSRDC, aims at providing an impetus to the overall development of the state’s rural areas by
attracting domestic as well as foreign investments. The Mumbai-Nagpur super
communication expressway project, linking JNPT in Mumbai and MIHAN in Nagpur, will
include a feeder network, connecting fourteen neighbouring districts to this highway.

The Termination Phase

The project will have multiple benefits. It will reduce the travel time substantially between
Aurangabad and Nashik. In addition, the improved road will provide other benefits like
proposed activity improves the economic status of the village people the dedicated project
area. Overall improvement will be expected in local area in terms of;
1. Development and improvement in transportation infrastructure facility will connect
villages with the nearby cities
2. Proposed Education institutes in the villages
3. Better approach to Medical & Educational services and quick transportation of perishable
goods like fruits , vegetables and dairy products.
4. Drinking water facility
5. Development of local agriculture and handicrafts
6. Development of tourism and pilgrimage
7. Vocational and skill development training for youth.
8. Opening up of opportunities for new occupations.
9. Improved quality of life for people and so on.
10. Transporting, processing and marketing of agricultural products.
11. Fast and safe connectivity resulting in savings in fuel, travel time and total transportation
cost to the society.
12. Reduction in accidents
13. Reduction in pollution
14. Proposed Tree Plantation along the road side, green pockets alongside of the alignment
will have social benefits to the nearby people.
15. The proposed expressway will have infrastructural Launchpad.
16. Along with this it is also proposed to have area development, real estate development,
emergency landing of plane, medical facilities, food courts, police stations, public toilets,
petrol pumps. This will definitely add value in the social and financial benefits in the region.
17. Indirect and direct employment opportunity to people from all skilled, semiskilled and
unskilled streams will act as social benefits.