The Maharashtra State cabinet has given its administrative approval for the Nagpur-Gondia Access Controlled Expressway, a major infrastructure project with an allocated budget of Rs 3,162 crore for land acquisition alone. 

The 162.5 km-long expressway, to be executed by the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), is a significant step towards improving regional connectivity.

This project is a vital extension of the Hindu Hriday Samrat Balasaheb Thackeray Maharashtra Samruddhi Mahamarg and is expected to cut the travel time between Nagpur and Gondia from over three hours to just 75 minutes. 

The expressway will traverse 115 villages across the Nagpur, Bhandara, and Gondia districts, providing a direct link between major urban centers and the tribal-dominated, underdeveloped regions of eastern Vidarbha. 

The project also includes 26 flyovers, 8 animal underpasses, and numerous bridges and interchanges to ensure seamless traffic flow and bolster socio-economic development.