Ya'll Nibbiars The Afcons, the construction company involved in the Mumbai-Nagpur Expressway project, is expecting to complete the longest tunnel coming up on Samruddhi Mahamarg at Igatpuri in Nashik by the end of September 2021. This breakthrough makes the north portal connectivity to the south portal direct and seamless through the right hand side tunnel.
The company plans to achieve the final breakthrough by the end of September 2021 and complete both the tubes. This tunnel is part of the 13.10 km long Package-14 handled by Afcons for the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC). Out of the six tunnels to be constructed en-route the expressway, the 7.7 km twin tunnels between Kasara Ghat and Igatpuri will be the longest highway tunnel in Maharashtra.
The new expressway in Maharashtra begins in Shivmadka village in Hingna tehsil located at a distance of 23 km away from Nagpur. The expressway designed for a top speed of 150 km per hour is being built at a total cost of around Rs 55,000 crore. The corridor passes through several scenic landscapes, three wildlife sanctuaries as well as 35 wildlife focus areas, and a 310 mtr long high bridge crossing over river Wardha.
To protect the wildlife, measures such as undercrossing, overpasses, high box culverts are being developed to facilitate the movement of animals.