The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has given the green light for the construction of a 6-lane greenfield access-controlled Nashik-Solapur-Akkalkot corridor in Maharashtra. This corridor, spanning 374 km with a total cost of Rs.19,142 crore, aims to enhance connectivity to key regional cities like Nashik, Ahilyanagar, and Solapur, linking to Kurnool. The project aligns with the PM Gatishakti National Master Plan principle for integrated transport infrastructure development.
The proposed corridor will connect Nashik to Akkalkot and link to major highways like the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, Agra-Mumbai corridor, and Samruddhi Mahamarg. It will establish a vital west-to-east coast connectivity route, complementing existing 4-lane corridors from Chennai to Kurnool. The primary goal of this access-controlled six-lane greenfield project is to boost travel efficiency, reducing travel time by 17 hours and cutting the distance by 201 km.
This initiative is expected to significantly improve logistics efficiency for freight operations at key National Industrial Corridor Development Corporation nodes, benefiting areas like Kopparthy and Orvakal. The project’s high-speed corridor design, with an average vehicular speed of 60 km/h and a design speed of 100 km/h, will ensure safer and faster transportation, reducing travel time, congestion, and operating costs. Moreover, it is projected to create substantial direct and indirect employment opportunities, fostering economic growth in the region.
