The Union Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has given its approval for the development of a six lane, access controlled greenfield highway connecting Nashik, Solapur and Akkalkot in Maharashtra. The project, estimated to cost Rs 19,142 crore, is aimed at strengthening regional as well as inter state connectivity while supporting integrated infrastructure planning under the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan.
Spanning a length of 374 kilometres, the corridor will be implemented under the Build Operate Transfer (Toll) model. Once completed, it will link important urban and industrial centres including Nashik, Ahilyanagar and Solapur, with further connectivity extending towards Kurnool in Andhra Pradesh.
The new highway will integrate with several major national transport corridors. These include the Delhi Mumbai Expressway near the Vadhawan Port interchange, the Agra Mumbai corridor at Nashik, and the Samruddhi Mahamarg near Pangri. Together, these connections are expected to create a continuous west to east movement corridor across the country.
On the eastern side, connectivity will be strengthened through four lane highways already under development from Chennai Port to Hasapur on the Maharashtra border, passing through Thiruvallur, Renigunta, Kadappa and Kurnool. This integrated network is expected to significantly improve long distance freight and passenger movement.
According to official estimates, the Nashik–Solapur–Akkalkot corridor will shorten travel by about 201 kilometres and reduce overall journey time by nearly 17 hours, translating to a time saving of around 45 percent compared to current routes. The access controlled design will allow average operating speeds of 60 kilometres per hour, with a design speed of up to 100 kilometres per hour, ensuring smoother and safer traffic flow.
The corridor is also expected to boost logistics efficiency, particularly for freight linked to key National Industrial Corridor Development Corporation nodes at Kopparthy and Orvakal. The Nashik to Talegaon Dighe stretch will additionally address the long standing requirement for a Pune Nashik Expressway, which has been identified as part of a new expressway network proposed by the Maharashtra government.
Beyond connectivity benefits, the project is projected to generate substantial employment. Construction and allied activities are expected to create over 251 lakh man days of direct employment and around 314 lakh man days of indirect employment, along with further opportunities driven by increased economic activity along the route.
Once operational, the highway is expected to significantly improve basic infrastructure and support overall economic growth across Nashik, Ahilyanagar, Dharashiv and Solapur districts, reinforcing Maharashtra’s role as a key logistics and industrial hub.
