Centre Approves Major Greenfield Corridor Connecting Maharashtra to Chennai via Kurnool and Kadapa

In a significant boost to national infrastructure, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the construction of a 6-lane Greenfield corridor between Nashik, Solapur, and Akkalkot in Maharashtra. The project, estimated to cost ₹19,142 crore, will serve as a vital link connecting to Chennai via Kurnool and Kadapa in Andhra Pradesh.

Spanning 374 kilometers, this access-controlled highway is designed to strengthen connectivity between the western and eastern coasts. The government estimates that the project will reduce the travel distance between Surat and Chennai by 201 kilometers, bringing travel time down drastically from 31 hours to just 17 hours.

Briefing the media after the Cabinet meeting, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw provided details on the route alignment. "Today, the Nashik-Solapur corridor has been approved. It extends from Akkalkot to Chennai via Kurnool and Kadapa," the Minister stated.

Developing under the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan, the corridor will be executed through the Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) toll model. Authorities expect the project to generate significant employment, creating approximately 251 lakh direct and 313 lakh indirect person-days of work.

In the same session, the Cabinet also cleared the widening of National Highway-326 (Mohana-Koraput section) in Odisha. Sanctioned at a cost of ₹1,526.21 crore, this project aims to improve connectivity across tribal districts including Gajapati, Rayagada, and Koraput, reducing travel time in the region by nearly three hours.