The Shiv Sena-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) Government on Wednesday decided to name the Rs 55,335 crore Nagpur-Mumbai Samruddhi Mahamarg (Mumbai-Nagpur Super Communication Expressway) after late Sena chief Bal Thackeray.
Acting on a proposal to this effect made by PWD Minister Eknath Shinde, the State Cabinet — at a State Cabinet meeting presided over Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, gave a formal nod to the proposal.
The previous BJP-led saffron alliance government had wanted to name
the Mumbai—Nagpur Super Communication Expressway (MNSCE) after late Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee. However, the Shiv Sena —which was earlier constituent of the ruling saffron alliance – had demanded that the Mumbai-Nagpur Expressway be named after late its chief Bal Thackeray. Caught in a dilemma, then Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had put the decision on hold.
Now with the Shiv Sena at the principal party in the Sena-NCP-Congress front's MVA Government, PWD Minister Eknath Shinde put up the proposal to name the Mumbai- Nagpur Super Communication Expressway before the State Cabinet, which readily approved the proposal.
At Wednesday’s meeting, the State Cabinet decided to infuse additional share capital of Rs 3,500 crore for the MNSCE and waive stamp duty on MoUs between agencies working on this expressway project.
According to the decision, the share capital of Rs 3,500 crore will be in addition to the existing capital of Rs 27,335 crore, which is in the form of Rs 3,500 crore from Maharashtra State Road Road Corporation (MSRDC), Rs 5,500 crore from state PSUs, waiver of royalty on minor minerals at Rs 2,414 crore, interest on loans during the construction period at Rs 6,396 crore and the cost of land at Rs 9,525 crore.
The Chief Minister’s office — in an official release — said that the additional share capital would reduce the debt burden of the project by Rs 2,500 crore. It would also remove the need to provide a guarantee for a loan of Rs 16,500 crore.
The revised cost of the project is
Rs 55,335 crore. A loan of Rs 24,500 crore was approved for the special purpose vehicle Nagpur Mumbai Super Communication Expressway.
The 701 km Mumbai-Nagpur Super Communication Expressway, a green project that being built from scratch without removing any existing structure, will bring down the Mumbai and Nagpur journey time to 8 hours; Mumbai to Aurangabad to 4 hours and Aurangabad to Nagpur to 4 hours.
The proposed super communication expressway, which is expected to be commissioned by 2021, will pass through 10 districts -- Thane, Nashik, Ahmednagar, Jalna, Aurangabad, Buldana, Washim, Amravati, Wardha and Nagpur.
Apart from connecting Mumbai and Nagpur, the super communication expressway will also provide direct connectivity to Jawaharlal Nehru Port, the country’s largest container port, in Navi Mumbai and MIHAN in Nagpur. It will include a feeder network, connecting fourteen neighbouring districts to this highway.
The proposed Mumbai-Nagpur super communication expressway, which is being implemented by the State-run Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), aims at providing an impetus to the overall development of the state’s rural areas by attracting domestic as well as foreign investments.
The expressway will include over 50 flyovers, over 24 interchanges, more than 5 tunnels, more than 400 vehicular and over 300 pedestrian underpasses at strategic locations.
