Vadhavan Port to be connected to Hindu HridaySamrat Balasaheb Thackeray

 Vadhavan Port to be connected to Hindu HridaySamrat Balasaheb Thackeray

Maharashtra Samruddhi Mahamarg via Freight Corridor

104.898 km High-Speed Expressway to save distance, time, and fuel

 

Vadhavan Port (Tawa) in Palghar district and Hindu HridaySamrat Balasaheb Thackeray Maharashtra Samruddhi Mahamarg will be connected through a high-speed expressway freight corridor at Bharvir (Taluka Chandwad, District Nashik). This 104.898-kilometre-long high-speed expressway received approval in today’s Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

The project will be undertaken through the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC). A loan of ₹1,500 crore will be raised from HUDCO for the project. Along with this loan, the Cabinet also approved a total provision of ₹2,528.90 crore. The project will be completed within three years.

The Vadhavan transshipment port is being developed through Vadhavan Port Project Limited. To ensure that international cargo movement through this port reaches all parts of the country swiftly and economically via sea, it is proposed to connect this port to the Hindu HridaySamrat Balasaheb Thackeray Maharashtra Samruddhi Mahamarg. Under the Sagarmala project of the central government, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is currently working on a 32 km road between Vadhavan Port and Tawa (NH-48).

Currently, access from Samruddhi Mahamarg to Vadhavan Port requires travel via Bharvir-Amne (Samruddhi Mahamarg) and then onto the Vadodara-Mumbai Expressway, which results in an unnecessary additional travel distance of nearly 82 km. Considering the anticipated heavy traffic from Vadhavan Port in the future, construction of such an expressway is essential to benefit traffic movement from Vidarbha, Marathwada, and North Maharashtra.

This expressway will pass through Dahanu, Vikramgad, Jawhar, and Mokhada talukas in Palghar district, and Trimbakeshwar and Igatpuri in Nashik district. Due to this expressway, the current distance of 183.48 km between Tawa and Bharvir via the Vadodara-Mumbai Expressway will reduce to 104.898 km, saving 78.582 km of travel distance. The travel time from Vadhavan Port to Bharvir will reduce from 4–5 hours to approximately 1 to 1.5 hours, leading to significant time savings.

With enhanced connectivity, small, medium, and heavy industries, agriculture institutions, educational institutes, IT companies, and agri-business centres in Palghar and Nashik districts will benefit. This will also provide better employment opportunities and market access to local residents.