00:00Sample this. You would agree that apart from several other factors, the engines of growth
00:05for any state are primarily its infrastructural growth. They are parameters that drive a state's
00:11growth and prosperity. Likewise, a monumental infrastructure push came from Maharashtra's
00:18Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Farnawes. He has done something that not many have been able to
00:24achieve. He has brought Maharashtra's longest expressway, the Hindu Rudra Samrat Barasaheb
00:30Thackeray Maharashtra Samruddhi Mahamarg to near completion. This 701 km stretch connecting Nagpur
00:38to Mumbai is not just a road but a visionary leap towards inclusive growth and connectivity
00:44in Maharashtra. Let's take a closer look at how Farnawes and his administration have been
00:49the driving force behind this transformative project. Connectivity is the backbone of
00:54development and Maharashtra has just reinforced that with the Samruddhi expressway. This project,
01:01linking Nagpur to Mumbai, traverses 10 districts and over 300 villages promising to open doors for
01:07new socioeconomic landscape in the state's underserved areas, especially Vidarbha.
01:13The idea of an expressway connecting Maharashtra's eastern and western ends was
01:19first conceptualized by Deputy CM Devendra Farnawes during his tenure as Nagpur's Mayor.
01:25Seeing the untapped potential of Vidarbha, he realized that connecting it with Mumbai,
01:30Maharashtra's financial heart, was the path to economic upliftment. Farnawes envisioned the
01:35expressway not just as a transportation corridor but as an economic corridor sparking growth
01:41through connectivity. Following the project's announcement in 2015, Farnawes led from the front
01:47working alongside the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation, also known as
01:52MSRDC, to ensure the project's rapid progress. Within four years, land acquisition, route planning
01:59and environmental clearances were in place and construction officially began in 2019.
02:06Despite the typical delays seen in other states, Maharashtra was quick to lay down
02:12this project's foundation, emphasizing transparent negotiations with landowners
02:18and local communities. This expressway was not just about connecting two points.
02:23With 18 proposed townships along the way, an entire economic ecosystem has been envisioned.
02:29These townships will bring education, health care and job opportunities directly to the
02:35adjoining areas as well. The expressway is planned to support multiple sectors from logistics and
02:41manufacturing to agriculture, encouraging new investments and creating opportunities.
02:47So how did Farnawes pull off that many couldn't? Under Farnawes' guidance, MSRDC deployed a
02:53war-room approach, streamlining inter-agency coordination and eliminating traditional
02:58bureaucratic delays. This central oversight allowed the project to proceed without the
03:04typical setbacks that have plagued other infrastructure projects nationwide.
03:09The key infrastructure highlights are 701 km stretch from Nagpur to Mumbai,
03:156 tunnels including a 7.7 km twin tunnel, the longest highway tunnel in Maharashtra,
03:2324 interchanges linking to key industrial areas and the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust.
03:29The expressway's success is further reflected in the funding strategy.
03:34Farnawes creatively securitized toll collections from the Mumbai-Pune Expressway,
03:40raising Rs 9,000 crores to back this initiative. These funds, supplemented by Rs 5,000 crores
03:47from state agencies, streamlined land acquisition and construction efforts,
03:52accelerating the expressway's development. More than a road, the Samruddhi Expressway
03:57is a testament to how vision-driven leadership can transform infrastructure. With most of it
04:03operation and full completion on the horizon, the expressway has set a benchmark in India,
04:10establishing Maharashtra as a leader in connectivity infrastructure.
04:14The Samruddhi Expressway exemplifies how focused, cohesive leadership
04:19can bring visionary projects to life. Under Devendra Farnawes's leadership,
04:23Maharashtra has demonstrated that infrastructure projects can indeed
04:28succeed and reshape regions, providing a blueprint for inclusive growth across India.
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