Work on Nagpur-Mumbai expressway begins in full swing

NAGPUR: Work on the Nagpur-Mumbai super expressway, also known as Samruddhi Corridor, has begun in full swing in the district. Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) has levelled land at many places and trees have been felled. At one spot, construction of the expressway embankment has also started.
Deputy engineer AA Jagshettiwar said the expressway will start from an intersection six km from Jamtha on the Outer Ring Road towards Gondkhairi. “This spot is 21km from Zero Mile. The expressway will proceed along public works department (PWD) road towards Takalghat for about 6.5km and then the alignment becomes completely greenfield. It will pass from near Kanholibara village then cross Wardha Road and enter Selu taluka of Wardha district,” he added.
A huge circle will be built at the entrance point of the expressway. “For the first 6.5km, our carriageway is only 80 metres. This land was acquired by PWD way back in late 1990s. We still needed another 20 acres. Along the Takalghat road, our expressway will be six lane but the width of the median will only be 4.5m instead of 15m,” said Jagshettiwar.
The corporation’s contractor has levelled and cleared the land along the PWD road. “The work of felling trees has been given to Forest Development Corporation of Maharashtra (FDCM) in non-forest areas and to forest department in forest areas. They will fell and count the trees so as to meet the target of compensatory tree plantation,” the DE further said.
Construction of embankment has started at a spot where a flyover will be built over Wardha Road (not the national highway). “The embankment will be like that of railways. Its height to width ratio will be 1:2 which means that if the height is 3m the width will be 6m. The embankment height is raised by laying layers of 250mm. Water is sprinkled on it, rolling is done and its density is checked. Then the next layer is laid,” said the MSRDC official.
Executive engineer Ashwini Ghuge said once the earthwork is complete, dry lean concrete (DLC) will be put over it. “This will be followed by granular subgrade and pavement quality concrete,” she added.
Nagpur and Wardha districts are covered in package I (0 to 31km) and II (31 to 90km). According to Ghuge, five exit and entry points will be built in the 90 km stretch. “They are near Shivmadka, Datala, Seldoh, Yelakeli and Werul villages. We will build toll plazas here,” she said.
Package I is being executed by Megha Engineering, while the contractor for second one is Afcons. Megha is setting up one camp office near Kanholibara, while Afcons is establishing two in Wardha district.