Maharashtra’s history has a recurring pattern of vision preceding infrastructure by years or decades. When Devendra Fadnavis, then an MLA from Nagpur in 2000, imagined a fast highway connecting his city directly to Mumbai, the idea faced the scepticism that meets any proposal of truly transformative scale. Fifteen years later, as Chief Minister, he announced the project in the Maharashtra Assembly in July 2015. Nine years after that, on June 5, 2025, he inaugurated the expressway’s final phase as Chief Minister again — completing a 701-kilometre corridor named the Hindu Hridaysamrat Balasaheb Thackeray Maharashtra Samruddhi Mahamarg that has fundamentally changed how people move across Maharashtra.
The Samruddhi Mahamarg was built at a cost of approximately ₹55,000 crore by MSRDC across four phases. Phase 1 — Nagpur to Shirdi, 520 kilometres — was inaugurated on December 11, 2022 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Phase 2 — Shirdi to Bharvir Khurd — opened May 26, 2023. Phase 3 — Bharvir Khurd to Igatpuri — opened March 4, 2024. Phase 4 — the most engineering-intensive stretch, Igatpuri to Amane in Thane — opened June 5, 2025, completing the full 701-kilometre east-west corridor. The Phase 4 stretch features a 7.8-kilometre road tunnel through the Kasara Ghat that reduces elevation from 450 metres to 160 metres — one of India’s most significant road tunnels. Maximum design speed is 150 km/h, with actual limits at 120 km/h on flat terrain and 100 km/h through ghats. Travel time from Nagpur to Mumbai has dropped from 16-18 hours to approximately 8 hours.
Mumbai Nagpur Samruddhi Expressway Overview
| Detail | Information |
| Official Name | Hindu Hridaysamrat Balasaheb Thackeray Maharashtra Samruddhi Mahamarg |
| Popular Name | Samruddhi Mahamarg / Mumbai-Nagpur Expressway |
| Maintained By | MSRDC |
| Length | 701 km |
| Lanes | 6-lane access-controlled |
| West End | Amane village, Bhiwandi, Thane District |
| East End | Shivmadka village, Nagpur District |
| Fully Operational Since | June 5, 2025 (Phase 4 inaugurated) |
| Phase 1 | Nagpur–Shirdi (520 km) — December 11, 2022 |
| Phase 2 | Shirdi–Bharvir Khurd — May 26, 2023 |
| Phase 3 | Bharvir Khurd–Igatpuri — March 4, 2024 |
| Phase 4 | Igatpuri–Amane — June 5, 2025 |
| Project Cost | Approx. ₹55,000 crore |
| Design Speed | 150 km/h; 120 km/h flat; 100 km/h ghat |
| Travel Time | ~8 hours Mumbai to Nagpur (was 16–18 hours) |
| Key Infrastructure | 65 flyovers, 33 major bridges, 274 minor bridges, 6 tunnels incl. 7.8 km Kasara Ghat tunnel |
| Districts | 10 districts, 392 villages, 26 talukas |
| EV Policy 2025 | EVs are toll-exempt on Samruddhi Mahamarg |
Route and Location
The expressway spans Maharashtra from the Thane district’s Bhiwandi-Amane zone in the west to Nagpur’s Shivmadka village in the east, passing through Nashik, Shirdi, Aurangabad, Jalna, Wardha, and Amravati. It bridges the long-standing infrastructure gap between coastal and Vidarbha Maharashtra.
Connectivity
Samruddhi Mahamarg links JNPT Mumbai, the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, Shirdi’s pilgrimage zone, Ajanta-Ellora Caves, and MIHAN Nagpur. The expressway has directly reduced logistics costs for Vidarbha’s cotton and orange farmers, who can now move produce to Mumbai markets significantly faster.
Nearby Areas
Shirdi (Sai Baba temple), Ajanta-Ellora Caves (UNESCO World Heritage), Lonar Crater lake in Buldhana, and MIHAN Nagpur’s SEZ are the standout destinations along or near the expressway corridor.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1. When was the Samruddhi Mahamarg fully completed?
A: June 5, 2025 — when CM Devendra Fadnavis inaugurated the final 76-km Igatpuri-to-Amane Phase 4 stretch.
Q2. How long is the Samruddhi Expressway?
A: 701 km, making it Maharashtra’s longest and one of India’s longest expressways.
Q3. What is special about the Kasara Ghat tunnel on this expressway?
A: 7.8 km road tunnel that reduces the elevation from 450 metres to 160 metres through the Western Ghats — one of India’s most technically significant road tunnels.
Q4. Are EVs exempt from toll on Samruddhi Mahamarg?
A: Yes — under Maharashtra’s EV Policy 2025, electric vehicles travel toll-free on the Samruddhi Mahamarg.
Q5. What is the travel time from Mumbai to Nagpur on this expressway?
A: Approximately 8 hours — reduced from 16 to 18 hours on the old highway.