Union highways minister Nitin Gadkari on Friday said travel time between Pune and Aurangabad, and would be reduced to two hours once the Mumbai-Delhi Expressway is completed next year.
Gadkari laid the foundation of the work of national highways worth of Rs 2,300 crore in Satara and Sangli districts.
In Satara, he laid foundation of four-laning of Undwadi Kadepathar to Phaltan stretch of 33.65 km and widening and concreting of Shindewadi to Varandha Ghat distance of 56 km.
In Sangli, he laid the foundation for the four-laning of Sangli to Peth Naka road of 40 km stretch.
Speaking at Phaltan in Satara district, Gadkari said, “In the near future, the direct connectivity between Kashmir to Kanyakumari will be available once Rs 60,000 crore worth new Mumbai-Bengaluru highway passing through Nashik, Ahmednagar, Solapur is completed. The land acquisition has been completed and the work of two packages has been started.”
The union minister said the Mumbai-Delhi Expressway will be open for use next year. “I am going to interact with Maharashtra’s industry minister to prepare a plan to develop the spaces along the highways for industries. It will generate lakhs of jobs,” said Gadkari.
Gadkari said the Alandi to Pandharpur road will be completed in the next three months. The route is used by the devotees during the annual Pandharpur pilgrimage. “I have asked officials to unveil the highway at the hands of the sandhu and sants. I have suggested that an event of songs of Vitthal sung by Pandit Bhimsen Joshi and others on the banks of Chandraprabha river of Pandharpur be organised,” said Gadkari.