Modi: Building Next-gen Infra For Growth

“Building next-gen infrastructure for growth,” the prime minister said in a post on X after

the Centre on Wednesday approved two major highway projects worth over Rs 20,600 crore in Odisha and Maharashtra. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved the construction of the six-lane greenfield access-controlled Nashik-Solapur-Akkalkot corridor in Maharashtra, stretching 374 km with an outlay of Rs 19,142 crore and the widening and strengthening of NH-326 in Odisha, upgrading the existing two-lane stretch to a two-lane highway with paved shoulders from 68 km to 311 km worth Rs 1,526.21 crore.

Briefing the media after the Cabinet meeting, minister of information and broadcasting Ashwini Vaishnaw said that the Union Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved the projects and the decisions reflect the government’s commitment to integrated transport planning and inclusive growth.

The 374-km Nashik-Solapur-Akkalkot corridor in Maharashtra will be constructed on the build-operate-transfer (toll) mode, according to an official statement. The project will provide connectivity to important regional cities such as Nashik, Ahilyanagar, Solapur connecting to Kurnool.

“This infrastructure is a significant step to facilitate integrated transport infrastructure development under the PM GatiShakti national master plan principle,” the Union minister said.

The greenfield corridor from Nashik to Akkalkot is proposed to be connected to the Delhi-Mumbai expressway near the Vadhawan port interchange, the Agra-Mumbai corridor at Nashik at the junction with NH-60 (Adegaon) and Samruddhi Mahamarg at Pangri (near Nashik).

The proposed corridor will provide connectivity from the west coast to the east coast. “The primary purpose of the proposed access-controlled six-lane greenfield project corridor is to improve travel efficiency and is expected to reduce travel time by 17 hours and reduce the travel distance by 201 km,” the government said.

Nashik–Akkalkot (Solapur) connectivity will improve logistics efficiency for freight originating and terminating at major National Industrial Corridor Development Corporation (NICDC) nodes of Kopparthy and Orvakal.

The project will provide a high-speed corridor designed for improved safety and uninterrupted traffic movement, reducing travel time, congestion, and operating costs. Importantly, the project will enhance the basic infrastructure in the region, contributing to the overall economic development of Nashik, Ahilyanagar, Dharashiv, and Solapur districts.

“The project will generate about 251.06 lakh man-days of direct employment and 313.83 lakh man-days of indirect employment. The project will also induce additional employment opportunities due to an increase in economic activity in the vicinity of the proposed corridor,” the government said.

In Odisha, the Union Cabinet approved the widening and strengthening of the existing two-lane to two-lane with ‘paved shoulder’ from 68 km to 311 km of NH-326 at a total capital cost of `1,526.21 crore, which includes a civil construction cost of `966.79 crore.

The government claimed that the upgrading of NH-326 will make travel faster, safer and more reliable, resulting in overall development of southern Odisha, particularly benefiting the districts of Gajapati, Rayagada, and Koraput.

“Improved road connectivity will directly benefit local communities, industries, educational institutions, and tourism centres by enhancing access to markets, healthcare, and employment opportunities, thereby contributing to the region’s inclusive growth,” it said.

The government has declared the stretch “the highway starting from its junction with NH-59 near Aska, passing through Mohana, Raipanka, Amalabhata, Rayagada, Laxmipur and terminating at its junction with NH-30 near Chinturu in Odisha” as NH-326 vide Gazette Notification dated August 14, 2012.