Mumbai: The state government is likely to name the proposed Mumbai Nagpur Super Communication Expressway, also known as the Maharashtra Samruddhi Mahamarg, after the late Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray. The proposal, which was supported by ministers of the Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), has now been sent to chief minister Uddhav Thackeray for his approval. Interestingly, the expressway — former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis’ pet project — was vehemently opposed by the Congress, NCP and Shiv Sena.
Shiv Sena minister Eknath Shinde on Wednesday informed reporters that he had proposed that the Samruddhi Mahamarg be named after the Sena founder in a Cabinet meeting earlier in the day.
Mr Shinde added that the Mumbai Nagpur Super Communication Expressway would be completed in the next three years.
“Twenty to 22 per cent of the expressway work is in progress. It will help reduce travel time between Nagpur and Mumbai from 15 hours to 6-7 hours. Therefore, it will help in the development of the Marathwada, Vidarbha and North Maharashtra regions,” the minister said.
Asked whether an enquiry would be conducted into allegations that officers who bought land for a meagre amount and got compensation in crores of rupees, the minister said that this issue had been raised earlier and an inquiry was conducted.
“But if such issues come up again, an investigation will be certainly initiated,” he said.
Another minister, Chhagan Bhujbal, who is from the NCP, said that the proposal was discussed in the Cabinet and agreed upon, but a formal decision was yet to be taken.
The previous government had originally planned to name the expressway after former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
A few days ago, the BJP MLA from Kalyan East, Ganpat Gaikwad, had demanded that the road should be named after Bharat Ratna Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar. He also submitted a memorandum with this demand to Mr Thackeray on Tuesday.
The Mumbai Nagpur Super Communication Expressway is an under-construction 701-km-long, eight-lane corridor connecting the two key cities of Maharashtra.
Nagpur, located in eastern Maharashtra, is the second capital of the state and biggest city of the Vidarbha region.
The expressway will run through 10 districts, 26 tehsils and 390 villages. The project is expected to cost Rs 46,000 crore and requires the acquisition of 8,603 hectares of land.
