Second longest Elevated Corridor in Maharashtra inaugurated

The second longest Elevated Corridor in Maharashtra, the third in India was inaugurated in Nashik by union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar in the chief presence of chief minister Maharashtra Prithviraj Chavan, union minister of state for surface transport Dr Tushar Choudhary, Maharashtra revenue Minister Balasaheb Thorat, PWD minister and guardian minister for Nashik Chaggan Bhujbal, MP Supriya Sule and MP Sameer bhujbal on Friday June 14, 2013. The inauguration of the work of widening of NH 30 – six lane, 5.5 kms road from Dwarka point to Data Mandir Chowk in the city and 25.31 Kms stretch from Nashik to Sinnar was also inaugurated.

The 6.1 kms flyover on the NH 3 shortening the time distance between Mumbai and Nashik is termed as the Nashik’s flyover to progress.

The inauguration of the flyover was done at the spot by unveiling the plaque and the programme there after followed at Dadasaheb Gaikwad hall.

Speaking on the occasion, union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar termed this day of inauguration of the flyover as important in the history of Nashik. He recollected his visit to the city by road from Mumbai when he was stranded in traffic on the highway and had to walk a few kilometres. “I drove down to Mumbai this time and my experience was very different. This road and flyover is a wonder of its kind”, he stated. He spared no words in praising guardian minister and PWD minister Chaggan Bhujbal and said that the Bhujbals (Chhagan and Sameer) have shown what could be termed as commitment to progress.

Chief Minister Pritiviraj Chavan in his address applauded the support of National Highway Authority of India given to Maharashtra. “There is demand coming from all corners to Delhi, for roads, however funds are limited. To achieve a project needs lot of follow up and the Nashik flyover is the example of the same”, he said. He termed Nashik as an important city not only in Maharashtra but in the country which is on the way to development and progress.

Chaggan Bhujbal recollected how he had approached Delhi for the road widening project between Nashik and Mumbai in 2004. “It required persistent efforts to get permission and funds sanctioned. The work was carried forward by MP Sameer Bhujbal and today it stands completed”, Bhujbal said.

In his address union Minister of state for surface transport Dr Tushar Choudhary said that the government of India intends to build good roads all over but when good roads are built people express reluctance to pay toll. Good roads will need public support, he stated. He also announced widening of Nashik – Peth – Surat to be handed over to NHAI and make a highway from Nashik to Gujrat.  

The programme was followed by lightening of fire crackers, beating of the Nashik dhol and laser light show on the new fly over near the Mumbainaka. People gathered in large numbers to witness the celebration.

The History
National Highway – NH- 3, popularly known as the Mumbai Agra Highway is the life line that connects Nashik, north Maharashtra at one end to Mumbai; while its other end stretches through Madhya Pradesh and connects even Mumbai to north India. The traffic on this road, particularly relating to business and commerce has always been heavy. The road had remained the same even as the traffic continuously increased;so much so that even union minister Sharad Pawar was once stranded for hours on this road while he was enroute to Nashik from Mumbai. The business, trade and industry community in Nashik has been long demanding the widening of the road. The need was voiced strongly with follow up and efforts by the then body of Nashik Industries and Manufactures’ Association (NIMA).

The stretch of the road that passes through Nashik was getting more and more congested due to the increasing load of traffic and the pressure of the spreading residential areas along the highway.

While the highway widening was taken and most of the road stretch from Mumbai to Dhule has been converted into four lane in phases; the widening of the Stretch of Pimpalgaon –Nashik – Gonde had to be done lastly, as it passed through the city limits. This turned out to be the most ambitious part of the project.

The project
The Pimpalgaon-Nasik-Gonde road project serves with a 6.1 kms long elevated corridor, seven flyovers, two major bridges, six vehicular under passes, six pedestrian under passes and a subway. The flyover passing through Nashik city at Pathardi is India’s longest integrated flyover.

The Elevated Corridor starting from Indira nagar jogging track runs for 6.1 kms till KK Wagh Institute of Technology. It has an up and down ramp at Dwaraka and Aurangabad Naka junction. The Elevated Corridor in Nashik is India’s first externally strutted segmental box girder.

The Pimpalgaon - Nashik – Gonde road project is a six lane, 60 kms route built at a cost of Rs 940 crores. The 6.1kms Elevated Corridor is the second longest flyover in Maharashtra. (The longest flyover – the Mumbai eastern highway, was inaugurated in Mumbai on June 13, 2013, a day before the Nashik elevated corridor). The Nashik flyover stands on 172 pillars with 12 segments each. It is made up of 2064 segments. The strutted segmental technique was first used for a bridge in Bangkok. The Elevated Corridor in Nashik is the second of its kind in Asia and first in India. The design of the flyover and its technique strengths it to bear heavy load capacity and increases its life upto 100 years. It has been categorised as ‘A Class’ loading design.

The Elevated Corridor also gives the city 12 lane road for traffic passing through the city. The flyover from Mumbai Naka to Adgaon is four lane, it has four lane grade road on both the sides and below this is the four lane service road.

Four flyovers are in the Nashik Municipal corporation limit and two are outside it.There are 8 underpass beneath these flyovers that will facilitate city traffic movement. Apart from these flyovers it has two major bridges and 11 small bridges and a subway. There are 34 bus bays and 4 Truck lay byes.

The project has been delayed by about a year and some underpass are yet under construction.

The Nashik Sinnar road project
The inauguration of the widening work of Nashik – Sinnar road which is a part of the Nashik – Pune national highway – NH – 50 was also done on Friday, June 14, 2013, in the same programme

The Nashik Sinnar is also a heavy traffic road as Malegaon industrial estate and India Bulls SEZ fall in Sinnar area. The stretch which is also a part of the Pune road and people travelling from Mumbai, gujrat to Shirdiuse this road; as such traffic flow is very heavy. The widening of this road was a long pending demand.

The 5.5 kms stretch from Dwarka circle and Datta Mandir chowk on this road which falls in the NMC area  will be six lane and MP Sameer Bhujbal consistently followed up the matter with related union ministries.  The estimated cost of this project is Rs 8.5 crores.

The Nashik - Sinnar stretch is 25.31 Kms and its estimated cost is Rs 312.96 crores

On the Nashik Pune road bye passes have been planned at Sinnar and Sangamner. The Sinnar bye pass is 8kms and will facilitate uninterrupted traffic across the town towards Pune. 

The widening of Nashik Pune road is a pressing demand. Day by day the traffic flow to Pune is increasing and presently the journey has become an unpleasant experience with delayed time due to traffic and congestion at places. The estimated cost for this project is Rs 1574.01 crores. 55 kms stretch of this project falls in Pune district, 60 kms in Ahemednagar and 20 kms in Nashik. However, the project is still pending. The only relief is that Nashik Sinnar part of this road is now under way and permission has been granted for Khed Sinnar four lane widening which is a 137.94 kms stretch on NH-30.