Union Minister Nitin Gadkari laid the foundation for Rs 2,300 crore national highways in Maharashtra's Satara and Sangli districts on Friday. He later stated that after the Mumbai-Delhi Expressway is completed next year, travel time from Aurangabad to Pune will be reduced to just two hours.
The current travel time between Aurangabad to Pune is around four to five hours, which will be cut down by half.
Reportedly, the access-controlled expressway between the two cities, which are at a distance of around 225 km, will be built and its cost is estimated to be Rs 100 billion.
According to a report in Pune Mirror, the green expressway will connect Pune to the 701-km-long Samruddhi Mahamarg.
A report quoted Gadkari saying that the work on the expressway will begin soon and that six highways being built in Maharashtra will reduce travel time between Pune and Nagpur connecting other cities.
Addressing the public, Gadkari said that the Mumbai-Delhi Expressway will be open for use next year and that connectivity between Kashmir to Kanyakumari will be available once the Mumbai-Bengaluru highway passing through Nashik, Ahmednagar and Solapur is completed.
In another report, Gadkari was also quoted speaking on the Alandi-Pandharpur road, a route that devotees take during the annual Pandharpur pilgrimage will be completed in the next three months and that he has proposed the highway be unveiled at the hands of sadhus and saints.