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MAHARASHTRA SAMRUDDHI MAHAMARG WILL GADKARI LAUNCHES 8 NATIONAL HIGHWAY PROJECTS
DELIVER RS 50,000 CRORE IN TWO YEARS: DEVENDRA WORTH `1,800 CRORE IN MAHARASHTRA’S NASHIK
FADNAVIS. Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari on
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that Sunday inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of 8 National INFRASTRUCTURE
the newly inaugurated Phase-I of Hindu Hrudaysamrat Balasaheb Highway projects of 226 kms worth `1,800 crore at Igatpuri, Nashik,
Thackeray Maharashtra Samruddhi Mahamarg, covering a Maharashtra. Union Minister of State Bharti Pawar, Member of
distance of 520 km and connecting Nagpur and Shirdi will deliver Parliament Subhash Bhamre, Hemant Godse, MLAs and officials
`50,000 crore in the coming two years. were present on the occasion. According to an official release,
“In the next two years, this Mahamarg will get you `50,000 with these highway projects transportation in the district will be
crore,” Fadnavis said while addressing a public gathering here accessible and safe, fuel and time will be saved, as well as
in Nagpur. pollution will be lessened. “These projects will make it easier
The 701 km Hindu Hrudaysamrat Balasaheb Thackeray for agricultural and handicraft businesses to reach the local
Maharashtra Samruddhi Mahamarg - being built at a cost of markets, help in connectivity of the rural areas with the cities
about `55,000 crore, connecting Nagpur and Mumbai- is one more accessible, as well as new industries and new employment
of India’s longest expressways, passing through Maharashtra’s 10 opportunities will be created through them,” the statement said.
districts and prominent urban regions of Amravati, Aurangabad Earlier Gadkari said that before the end of 2024, road infrastructure
and Nashik. On the inauguration of this Mahamarg, Fadnavis will be equal to the standard of the USA. Addressing the 95th FICCI
also announced that next, an expressway connecting Nagpur Annual convention, the minister said that “We are making the World
and Goa will be built. Standard Road infrastructure in the country and promising you that
Deputy CM further in his address, praised Maharashtra Chief before the end of 2024, our road infrastructure will be equal to the
Minister Eknath Shinde and said: “The inauguration of the standard of the USA, American standards.” Addressing the issue
Balasaheb Thackeray Maharashtra Samruddhi Mahamarg has of logistics cost he said that it is an effort to take up to 9 per cent
been our 20 years old dream, which has come true.” by the end of 2024. Talking about the construction industry which
Prior to its inauguration, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also consumes 40 per cent of Global resources, the minister said that
inaugurated Phase I of the Nagpur Metro rail project and we are trying to minimise the use of steel in construction work by
purchased a ticket to take a ride on the Metro from Freedom adopting substitutes. “We know that the construction industry not
Park to Khapri. PM Modi then laid the foundation stone of Phase- II only contributes significantly to environmental pollution but also
of the rail project, which will be developed at a cost of more than consumes 40 per cent of global materials and resources. We
`6700 crore. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also flagged off the focus on reducing the cost of resources and improving the quality
sixth Vande Bharat Express that will run between Maharashtra’s of construction. As we are aware that cement and steel are the
Nagpur and Chhattisgarh’s Bilaspur. After inaugurating various major components for construction, so we are trying to minimise
development projects in Nagpur, PM Modi in his address to the the use of steel in construction work by trying to adopt substitutes”,
people outlined the ‘11 stars’ of development, intended to give said the minister.
a new direction to Maharashtra’s growth.
“The first is Hindu Hrudaysamrat Balasaheb Thackeray Maharashtra GMR AIRPORTS AND NIIF ANNOUNCE PARTNERSHIP FOR
Samruddhi Mahamarg, second Nagpur AIIMS, third is National INVESTMENT IN 3 AIRPORTS
Institute of One Health, fourth is ICMR research centre in GMR Airports Limited (GAL), the airport holding company and a
Chandrapur, fifth is CPET Chandrapur, the project which has been subsidiary of GMR Airports Infrastructure Limited (formerly known
started to reduce the pollution in Nagpur’s Naag river, seventh is as GMR Infrastructure Limited), and NIIF (National Investment and
the inauguration of Nagpur phase 1 and foundation stone laying Infrastructure Fund) announced a financial partnership in which
of phase 2, eighth is Vande Bharat Express between Nagpur NIIF will invest in the equity capital of three airport projects.
and Bilaspur, ninth is a redevelopment project of Nagpur and Greenfield international airports in Mopa, Goa, and Bhogapuram,
Ajni railway station, the tenth is the inauguration of maintenance Andhra Pradesh are among them.
depot of rail engine of 12,000 horsepower in Ajni and eleventh is The transaction calls for NIIF to make a primary investment of `631
the inauguration of Koli-Narked route in Nagpur-Itarsi,” the Prime crore in the form of Compulsory Convertible Debentures (CCD) in
Minister said while detailing the projects inaugurated today. He GMR Goa International Airport Limited (GGIAL), a special purpose
further said that the infrastructure projects inaugurated today vehicle entrusted with running and operating the New Goa Airport.
show the holistic vision of infrastructural development. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and
“The projects which have been inaugurated today show a required approvals. This is NIIF’s first investment in an airport asset in
holistic vision of infrastructural development. AIIMS is one kind the country, as well as its first direct investment in the state of Goa.
of infrastructure and Samriddhi Mahamarg is another kind of Mopa International Airport will have a design capacity of up to
infrastructure. Vande Bharat and Nagpur Metro are two different 4.4 million passengers per year in the first phase, with an ultimate
kinds of the character of infrastructure,” he said. capacity of up to 40 million passengers per year.
“Better connectivity empowers growth and progress at a great In addition to Mopa International Airport, GAL is developing
pace. The government has worked towards achieving this upcoming airports in Bhogapuram, Andhra Pradesh, and Crete,
vision and I am happy that we could achieve it with public Greece, and is awaiting the signing of the Nagpur airport
participation,” the Prime Minister added. concession agreement, which is a brownfield project.

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