The Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar-Pune Expressway, estimated to cost Rs 25,000 crore, is facing delays due to land acquisition issues. The process is expected to begin in January next year. The expressway project will move forward only after the six-laning of the 53 km Pune-Shirur route is completed. The alignment planned by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) will remain unchanged.
Current Progress and Land Acquisition
The Maharashtra State Infrastructure Development Corporation (MSIDC), in collaboration with NHAI, signed an agreement in June 2024 for the expressway's construction. The soil testing work for the highway has already been completed at Jalta.
The land acquisition process, initially announced 33 months ago, has seen slow progress. It has been 26 months since Notification 3(A) was issued for acquiring land for the project. The acquisition process will be coordinated by the district collector offices of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Ahilyadevinagar (Ahmednagar), Pune, and MSIDC.
The proposed route will pass through several villages, including Peerwadi, Hirapur, Sundarwadi, Jalta, Adgaon Budruk, Chincholi, and Ghardon in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar taluka, as well as some villages in Paithan taluka. Additionally, the alignment will be modified near Bidkin to accommodate an industrial project.
Renovation of Existing Route at Rs 9,000 Crore
Apart from the new expressway, the existing Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar-Pune route will undergo renovation at a cost of rs 9,000 crore. This project, managed by MSIDC, has already been transferred to the corporation. The government has also decided to upgrade the route to a national highway, designating it as NH-753F.