Four years after he performed ground-breaking ceremony for Samruddhi Expressway, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the mega project on December 11. The PM will also inaugurate two remaining routes of the first phase of MahaMetro in the city on the same day.
Chief minister Eknath Shinde, deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis, Union minister Nitin Gadkari and other senior ministers and legislators from Vidarbha would attend the event.
Confirming the development, Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) managing director Radheshyam Mopalwar told that the inauguration has been scheduled at 11am on December 11.
“The PM would inaugurate the expressway at Waifal toll booth and also take a ride on the road. He will then address a public gathering near the venue. With this, the first phase of the 501km long Samruddhi highway would be opened till Shirdi. The remaining phase till Mumbai would be completed by June next year,” he said.
Event management of this function has been handed over to a Mumbai company. The company’s Nagpur partner Kishor Battase told that they have received confirmation on Tuesday, although all necessary arrangements had been readied last month only.
According to Battase, a big pandal having capacity to accommodate over 10,000 persons has been erected. “There will be a big stage and a VIP lounge for dignitaries. At one end, an art gallery will showcase MSRDC’s ongoing works and super expressway’s various phases. Over 200 sofas and chairs would be in place at the venue. There would also be two more pandals,” he said.
Sources in MahaMetro told that the inauguration of Metro routes — Sitabuldi Station to Prajapati Nagar and Kasturchand Park to Automotive Square — is most likely to be held at Airport Metro station.
Sources said as politicians wanted to claim credit for both the landmark projects in view of the forthcoming civic and local body elections, the inauguration at the hands of the PM was pushed further.
Earlier also, Samruddhi’s inauguration was scheduled several times, first by the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government and then BJP-Shiv Sena (Balasaheb) dispensation, but was delayed.
# Samruddhi Expressway to be opened on December 11
* Greenfield project declared in 2015 by then CM Devendra Fadnavis
* Land acquisition started in July 2017, delayed due to opposition by farmers
* PM Narendra Modi laid foundation stone in December 2018
* Actual work started in January 2019 for 16 packages
* MVA planned to open 210km section — Selu Bazaar to Washim — on May 2
* Shinde announced opening of 520km — Nagpur to Shirdi — on Aug 15
* 501km stretch is fully ready for traffic, but govt delayed opening
#Metro Phase-1 remaining routes:
* Line 1 (Orange Line): Automotive Square, Nari Road, Indora Square, Kadvi Square, GaddiGodam Square & Kasturchand Park
* Line 2 (Aqua Line): Prajapati Nagar, Vaishno Devi Square, Ambedkar Square, Telephone Exchange, Chitar Oli Square, Agrasen Square, Dosar Vaishya Square, Nagpur railway station, Cotton Market, Sitabuldi (interchange) & Jhansi Rani Square