Pune Ring Road Land Acquisition Nears Completion; Maharashtra Govt Approves Rs 17,000 Crore for Key Projects
Pune, 20th June 2025: The Maharashtra government has sanctioned an additional ₹17,000 crore to fast-track land acquisition for critical infrastructure projects being undertaken by the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC). Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis chaired a high-level meeting on Thursday, directing top officials to ensure land procurement is completed swiftly to avoid project delays.
In the review meeting, the CM emphasized that delays in land acquisition often lead to a rise in project costs and hinder timely execution. “There is no room for complacency. All departments must act in coordination and stick to the project timelines,” Fadnavis said.
The meeting covered nine major infrastructure initiatives, including expressways, multi-modal corridors, and railway links. According to MSRDC Vice-Chairman and Managing Director Anilkumar Gaikwad, the land acquisition process for the Pune Ring Road and Jalna–Nanded expressway is nearly complete.
“For other projects such as the Virar–Alibaug multi-modal corridor, Shaktipeeth expressway, three major expressways in Vidarbha, and the Navgaon–Morgaon and Vadhwan–Samruddhi link roads, land measurement is currently underway,” Gaikwad explained.
The state government had earlier approved ₹36,000 crore for land acquisition, out of which ₹9,000 crore is earmarked for the Pune Ring Road, ₹2,140 crore for the Jalna–Nanded expressway, and ₹22,000 crore for the Virar–Alibaug corridor. The new ₹17,000 crore allocation will be disbursed in phases to bridge funding gaps in land procurement.
Fadnavis also asked the finance department to immediately release ₹12,000 crore to support ongoing acquisition efforts and instructed the forest department to expedite environmental clearance processes, particularly for the ecologically sensitive Morbe–Karanja stretch of the Virar–Alibaug route.
In a significant update, officials said land measurement has been completed in 86 of the 300 villages involved in the Shaktipeeth expressway, also known as the “Golden Triangle” corridor. This route aims to improve connectivity between Nagpur, Mumbai, and Goa and is being positioned as both a religious and economic corridor. A senior MSRDC official said, “This expressway will serve as a crucial pilgrim and logistics route, linking cultural hubs while enhancing east-west connectivity.”
The Chief Minister also directed officials to finalize the implementation model—such as Public-Private Partnership (PPP) or Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT)—for projects once land acquisition is complete.
In Vidarbha, the government is pushing ahead with plans for the Bhandara–Gadchiroli, Nagpur–Chandrapur, and Nagpur–Gondiya expressways. Additionally, the proposed Vadhwan–Igatpuri expressway is expected to be finalized soon. Other significant projects under discussion include the Navegaon (Mor)–Surjagad mineral corridor and proposed railway lines connecting Wardha–Nanded and Vadsa–Gadchiroli.
Progress on regional airports in Kolhapur, Karad, Akola, Gadchiroli, and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar was also reviewed during the meeting.
“Departments and implementing agencies must operate in mission mode. The success of these projects depends on strict adherence to deadlines and coordinated execution,” said Fadnavis.
