Nagpur: The final 76-kilometre stretch of the Mumbai-Nagpur Expressway — officially known as the Hindu Hrudaysamrat Balasaheb Thackeray Maharashtra Samruddhi Mahamarg — is set to be inaugurated on June 5, completing the ambitious 701-km high-speed corridor that connects Maharashtra’s financial capital with its second capital.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis will inaugurate the last segment between Igatpuri in Nashik and Amane in Thane, according to senior officials from the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC). MSRDC Managing Director Anil Gaikwad confirmed that construction on the final link is complete and the stretch will be opened for public traffic the same day.

Constructed at a cost of ₹1,182 crore, this final leg of the expressway was jointly funded by the MSRDC and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). It includes three crucial interchanges at Igatpuri, Kutghar (Shahapur), and Amane (Thane), along with India’s longest road tunnel measuring 7.8 km, cutting through the challenging Kasara Ghat terrain.

This new segment brings a significant upgrade to the existing Mumbai-Nashik route, reducing elevation from 450 metres to 160 metres and halving the travel time between Igatpuri and Amane from 90 minutes to just 40 minutes.

With this final stretch operational, the entire 701-km Samruddhi Mahamarg becomes fully functional, slashing the Mumbai-Nagpur journey time from 16 hours to just 8 hours. Designed for speeds up to 150 kmph, the ₹55,000-crore mega project features 33 major bridges, 274 minor bridges, 65 flyovers, and six tunnels across its length.

Envisioned by CM Fadnavis, the expressway faced initial opposition from farmers during land acquisition, but eventually overcame the hurdles to become one of India’s most ambitious infrastructure milestones.