Hindu Hriday Samrat Balasaheb Thackeray Maharashtra Prosperity Expressway; Maharashtra’s Lifeline

Making the state’s progress more dynamic requires extensive development of transportation facilities. Prioritizing this, the government is rapidly completing many projects to improve citizens’ travel amenities. Among these, the most important is the 701 km-long Hindu Hriday Samrat Balasaheb Thackeray Maharashtra Prosperity Expressway, which is now entering its final stage of completion and operation.

The first phase of the Hindu Hriday Samrat Balasaheb Thackeray Maharashtra Prosperity Expressway—from Nagpur to Shirdi, spanning 520 km—was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 11, 2022. The second phase, covering a total length of 80 km from Shirdi (Kokamthane) in Ahmednagar district to the Bhawarkua Interchange in Nashik district, was inaugurated on May 26, 2023, by then Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. The third phase, spanning 25 km from the Bhawarkua Interchange to Igatpuri on the Prosperity Expressway, was inaugurated by then Public Works Minister (Public Undertakings) Dadaji Bhuse on March 4, 2024. Out of the total 701 km, 625 km of this expressway is currently operational and nearly 2 crore motorists have already used it. Now, the remaining 76 km stretch (from Igatpuri to Amane) of the Prosperity Expressway will be inaugurated on June 5, 2025, by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

Scope of the Project

This six-lane greenfield expressway traverses 392 villages across 26 talukas in 10 districts of the state’s five revenue divisions. The Prosperity Expressway directly connects the ten districts of Nagpur, Wardha, Amravati, Washim, Buldhana, Jalna, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Ahmednagar, Nashik, and Thane. Additionally, it indirectly links 14 districts—Chandrapur, Gondia, Bhandara, Gadchiroli, Yavatmal, Akola, Hingoli, Parbhani, Nanded, Beed, Dhule, Jalgaon, Palghar, and Raigad. Traveling from Nagpur to Mumbai via the old route on NH-3 takes 17–18 hours, whereas the new “Greenfield Expressway” will reduce the journey time to 8 hours. Furthermore, this expressway, which connects Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust in Mumbai to MIHAN in Nagpur, will enable rapid freight movement from the port, ensuring timely delivery of essential goods across India. This project has become crucial for rural development in the state through both domestic and international investment.

This expressway will link the Delhi–Mumbai Expressway, Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust, Shirdi, Ajanta–Ellora Caves, Lonar Lake, and other tourist destinations. For Maharashtra—India’s growth engine—the Hindu Hriday Samrat Balasaheb Thackeray Maharashtra Prosperity Expressway will truly serve as its lifeline to prosperity.

Features of the Prosperity Expressway

This ambitious state government project is not only an engineering marvel but is also rich in numerous special features. Facilitating rapid transportation to promote tourism, industry, and the timely movement of agricultural produce to markets, an estimated two crore vehicles have traversed the Prosperity Expressway to date, enjoying a smooth, congestion-free, and swift travel experience.

Longest and Widest Tunnel

The remaining 76 km stretch of the Prosperity Expressway falls within Nashik and Thane districts. Carving a difficult path through the Sahyadri mountain range, the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation undertook an enormous engineering challenge. This segment includes five twin tunnels totaling 10.73 km (21.46 km combined for both tubes). Package 14 (Igatpuri) features an 8.00 km-long tunnel, which is the longest and widest tunnel in Maharashtra, with a width of 17.61 meters and a height of 9.12 meters.

First Underground Fire-Suppression System in a Tunnel

For fire safety, an underground fire-suppression system—used for the first time in any Indian tunnel—has been installed in the longest tunnel at Igatpuri. Because of this tunnel, the distance from Igatpuri to Kasara can be covered in approximately eight minutes, providing an alternate route to the Kasara ghat on NH-3 (Nashik Highway). This will expedite traffic flow and relieve congestion on the Kasara ghat.

Longest Bridge (Viaduct)

Advancing the expressway through the rugged terrain of Nashik and Thane required constructing viaducts (large bridges) and tunnels across 76 km of mountain passes. In some locations, hard rock had to be excavated to depths of 30–40 meters. This phase includes a total of 17 viaducts, with a combined length of 10.56 km (21.12 km when both carriageways are included). The longest viaduct in this section measures 2.28 km, and one viaduct (Viaduct-2) has bridge piers reaching heights of up to 84 meters.

Interchanges

This stretch features interchanges at Igatpuri, Kuthghar, and Amane. Extensive relocation of both high- and low-tension electrical lines was necessary. Sixty-two low-tension lines belonging to Maharashtra State Electricity Transmission Company Limited, five lines of Torrent Power, and one line of Power Grid were shifted. Additionally, one railway overbridge has been constructed in this phase.

Environmentally Sustainable

Within the project, 100 wildlife-protection structures have been completed, with designs prepared under the guidance of the Forest Department. ‘Sound barriers’ have been installed at critical locations to facilitate safe wildlife movement. Afforestation efforts are underway, with 1,131,000 trees being planted along both sides of the Prosperity Expressway. A total of 203 MW of solar power generation capacity is also proposed within this project.

Ease of Travel

Once the 76 km stretch from Igatpuri to Amane (Taluka Bhiwandi) becomes operational, travel from Thane (Amane) to Nagpur can easily be completed in eight hours. Pilgrims traveling from Thane and the Mumbai region to Shirdi will also benefit from a faster and more convenient journey. Farmers from Shirdi, Ahmednagar, and the Nashik districts around Sinnar and Igatpuri will be able to transport their produce quickly and efficiently to major markets. Commuting between the Mumbai Metropolitan Region and rural areas will become more convenient for farmers, entrepreneurs, and travelers, and the expressway will directly and indirectly support the expansion of educational, cultural, and healthcare opportunities.

This expressway—which connects Maharashtra’s de facto secondary capital to its official capital, reducing the travel time between Nagpur and Mumbai to just eight hours—will undoubtedly accelerate the state’s industrial, educational, social, and cultural development.