The Maharashtra cabinet on Tuesday approved the construction of a 105-km express freight corridor connecting the upcoming Vadhavan port in Palghar to the Samruddhi Expressway at Bharvir in Nashik district, which will slash the travel time to just 1.5 hours from the current 5 hours.
The high-speed corridor, aimed at facilitating rapid movement of freight from the western coast to the hinterland, will be implemented by the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC).
The project is expected to be completed within three years, with a total estimated cost of Rs 2,528.90 crore. Of this, Rs 1,500 crore will be raised through loans from HUDCO.
This decision was taken at a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, the CMO stated in a release.
The proposed direct link between Vadhavan Port and the Mumbai-Nagpur expressway will bypass the detour that vehicles currently take via the Vadodara-Mumbai Expressway.
Currently, vehicles have to travel nearly 183.48 km, including an unnecessary 82-km stretch. The new corridor will reduce this distance to 104.898 km, saving 78.582 km and cutting travel time from the current 4 to 5 hours to approximately 1 to 1.5 hours.
The corridor will pass through Dahanu, Vikramgad, Jawhar, and Mokhada talukas in Palghar district, and Trimbakeshwar and Igatpuri in Nashik district.
The connector link is crucial to support the expected increase in cargo traffic from Vadhavan Port, which is part of the Centre's Sagarmala initiative. The port is set to become a major hub for international maritime trade, and efficient hinterland connectivity is key to its success, the CMO said in a statement.
It is expected to catalyse growth for small, medium, and large industries, agriculture-related businesses, educational institutions, and IT companies. Additionally, local communities are expected to benefit from increased employment opportunities and access to new markets.
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