Maharashtra's Growth Dovetails With PM Modi’s 'Viksit Bharat' Vision

Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently remarked that the dream of a ‘Viksit Bharat’ (developed country) will come to fruition only when every state, every district and every village of the country becomes developed. A few years from now when an assessment of the country’s development on PM Modi’s parameters is made, Maharashtra will be one of the few states which would be the most suitable example in terms of all-round growth. In fact, it is Maharashtra where infrastructure projects are being planned and carried out in such a manner that every district and every village of the state could be covered and included. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde during a meeting at War Room in Mumbai has already told the officials that every district has to be connected and linked to the development project of Maharashtra. This is exactly what PM Modi has emphasized while propagating the concept about Viksit Bharat.

Inclusive development and growth of Maharashtra is the key word in every plan that is prepared in the War Room under the leadership of veteran bureaucrat Radheshyam Mopalwar. In fact, Mopalwar always made it a point to cover maximum possible regional pockets in road network projects or expressway projects. He ensured that every single district and village is linked to the project that is carried out under supervision of the War Room. Given the momentum of this kind of inclusive development under able guidance of officers like Mopalwar, Maharashtra will definitely be an ideal state fulfilling all parameters that PM Modi has spoken about for his ‘Viksit Bharat’ vision. The Shinde-Fadnavis government’s focus on huge expansion in infrastructure in Maharashtra will in due course of time pave the way for the state to emerge as an important chapter in India’s massive economic growth story. Mopalwar’s concept behind every project is to give fillip to economic activities in the regions concerned. Growth of the rural economy is an important factor that inspires the Maharashtra government to plan the project for the development of villages and cities alike. 

Highlighting how the state government is deeply focused on infrastructure development in the state as a priority goal, Mopalwar has himself told the media that to its credit Maharashtra was the first state in India to develop a greenfield expressway. The construction of the Mumbai-Pune Expressway under the stewardship of the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) began in 1998 and was operationalized in 2002. Next phase of the construction of the expressway project could be launched only after some time. In 2015, the BJP-Shiv Sena coalition government announced and approved the construction of green field expressway connecting the state capital, Mumbai with Nagpur. This project was named the Samruddhi Mahamarg.  The 701-km Nagpur-Mumbai Expressway covers ten key districts of the state and indirectly connects other 14 districts of the state.

This is an important fact about this project as PM Modi’s focus is on developing every single district of the country so as to make a Viksit Bharat. This is how Maharashtra is connecting every single district in the expressway project to ensure development not only in districts but also rural regions under them. The objective of the Samruddhi Mahamarg is to bring about economic prosperity in several districts and states. The expressway connects corridor hubs including the country’s largest container port JNPT in Mumbai and a new airport coming up in Navi Mumbai, This is not all, Mahasamruddhi Mahamarg will provide access to several industrial and economic centres through 24 interchanges. One can imagine how development and growth oriented this expressway is. Around 80 per cent of this expressway is already functional, with the remaining part to be opened in the next few months. Mopalwar as MSRDC MD has worked meticulously and closely on this project following which it is nearing completion in an expeditious manner.

Then comes the golden triangle of Mumbai, Pune and Nashik. According to an estimate, this accounts for around 60 per cent of the GSDP which is a significant amount. This triangle is responsible for massive growth of the state of Maharashtra, which will suit the concept of Viksit Bharat. Nagpur being one the biggest commercial centres of Maharashtra is already connected to one expressway. Pockets of industrial growth in Sangli, Satara and Kolhapur are also connected to the expressway. According to Mopalwar, Nagpur-Mumbai expressway was planned not only as a road connecting two major cities of the state. But the idea was to develop it as an economic corridor. An important concept of the expressway project is to develop 18 townships located at strategic intersections at a distance of 30-40 kms from each other.

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