Samruddhi Mahamarg overpass that collapsed is ready for wildlife

Nagpur: The overpass on Hindu Hrudaysamrat Balasaheb Thackeray Samruddhi Mahamarg that collapsed on April 25 is once again ready to welcome wild animals. Officials have said they are ready to throw open 480km of the highway on any day.
The Phase-I opening of the 210km Samruddhi Mahamarg from Nagpur to Shelu Bazaar (Washim) was slated for May 2. However, the collapse of wildlife overpass at Waiphal, at the 15th km mark under Package-I from 0.000 to 31km (Shivmadka-Khadki Amgaon) in Nagpur district, led to delay in commissioning by the chief minister.
Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) joint managing director Anil Kumar Gaikwad said, “As promised, the wildlife overpass was reconstructed in 45 days. Now, we are readying it by filling soil and planting trees.”
“Of the 84 wildlife structures, including 76 underpasses and 8 overpasses, in the entire 701km stretch, the structure that had collapsed was the only archetypical wildlife structure under Package-I with 105 arch strips,” said Gaikwad.
However, even as the wildlife overpass is ready, uncertainty looms over the much-hyped commissioning of the Samruddhi Mahamarg between Nagpur-Mumbai (701km) on August 15, as being discussed.
“Though chief minister Eknath Shinde has announced twice that the expressway would be opened for traffic on August 15, we have no communication from the government about the opening. We also learnt that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will open the expressway,” said Radheshyam Mopalwar, MSRDC managing director.
Mopalwar said on Tuesday, “Though every day some length is being added to the expressway, we are ready to open 480km of the stretch at any given time.”
The expressway was ready for inauguration on June 5, but it has been deferred thrice. The MSRDC was to throw open a 520km stretch, but now officials say it is ready with 480km due to some incomplete stretches near Shelu Bazaar.