The Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has approved a set of expressway and access-controlled highway projects passing through Maharashtra and Gujarat since 2024, the government informed the Parliament on Wednesday, 25 March.
In a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha, Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari stated that these projects are part of a broader push to strengthen connectivity between economic centres, reduce logistics costs, and improve regional integration under ongoing national highway development programmes.
“Government keeps on undertaking feasibility study/Detailed Project Report(DPR) for new greenfield/brownfield Expressway/Access Controlled Highway/Upgradation of National Highways in the country including the States of Gujarat and Maharashtra. This is with the aim to ensure connectivity between economic centers, regional connectivity, reduction in logistic cost, connectivity to backward areas, religious places across the country etc.,” Gadkari said.
As per the details provided by the minister, five expressway and access-controlled highway projects passing through the two states have been approved by the Centre since 2024.
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The largest among them is a 374 Km 6-lane greenfield access-controlled corridor connecting Nashik, Solapur, and Akkalkot in Maharashtra.
Another major project is the 213 Km 6-lane access-controlled Tharad-Deesa-Mehsana-Ahmedabad corridor in Gujarat.
In addition, a 29.2 Km 6-lane access-controlled greenfield highway is planned from JNPA Port (Pagote) to Chowk in Maharashtra.
To support the proposed Vadhavan Port in Maharashtra, a 32.2 Km stretch of the NH-248S will be developed as a 4-lane access-controlled highway, expandable to 8 lanes. This corridor will link Vadhavan Port to NH-48 at Tawa village, enhancing hinterland connectivity.
Further, an 8-lane elevated flyover of 29.91 Km is planned at Tier-1 level on a single pier, including the upgradation of the existing Nashik Phata-Khed section of NH-60 to a 4/6-lane configuration with service roads on both sides.
The project is expected to ease congestion around Pune and provide seamless connectivity to nearby industrial hubs.
