MSRDC turns focus on roadside amenities on Samruddhi E-way

Staff Reporter

With Hindu Hrudaysamrat Balasaheb Thackeray Maharashtra Samruddhi Mahamarg attracting travellers in a big way, Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation Limited (MSRDC) is now concentrating on one of the most important aspects: that of development of roadside amenities. The e-way was inaugurated in December last year, and since then commute on this expressway has been steadily increasing. However, the expressway has been in the news for all the wrong reasons. The number of mishaps being reported on it has caused panic among people, as well as the authorities. One of the reasons cited was absence of amenities. Taking cue from the frequent reports of ‘highway hypnosis’, MSRDC is now keen to attract investors to rollout eateries and hotels which would enable travellers to take the much-needed break. However, going by the reserve price kept by MSRDC, only players with deep pockets might be able to invest in developing of the amenities.

As per the plan, each of the sites being offered for development of amenities is minimum 4 Ha, barring one land parcel at Ganeshpur that is 3.10 Ha, and required investment being sought by MSRDC is Rs. 50 crore per site. The sites have been divided in two categories, one along Nagpur corridor, where eight locations are shortlisted and eight on Mumbai side. The idea floated by MSRDC is land lease model. The required lands for the amenities would be acquired through land pooling, and lease model is for identified land parcels. The landpool model is meant for land owners having land parcels at Warzadi tehsil in Aurangabad district and in Nashik district, at km 400 and 410 on either side, towards Mumbai and also on Nagpur side. Along with it, four other sites are also on offer, one each on Aurangabad and Nashik exit on either way, and Nagpur and Mumbai. For this, however, the land being offered to the developers is in the range of 10-12 Ha, and hence reserve price is also on higher side, Rs 50 crore for each of the site. A developer post successful bid would get 60 months period including 18 months for MDO's and 42 moths for other components. The said development of amenities is being taken-up through Nagpur Mumbai Super Communication Expressway Limited, a special purpose vehicle (SPV) of MSRDC.

As per the details, the eight corridors offered along Nagpur corridor (from Mumbai to Nagpur) are at Amne, Maral, Dawala, Mandwa, Davha, Shivni, Renkapur/Mankapur and Waifal. On the Mumbai side, the land parcels are at Waifal, Ganeshpur, Shivni, Davha, Mandwa, Kadwanchi, Maral and Amne. Interalia, MSRDC is keen on having single developer to bid for all the 20 land parcels. The development of wayside amenities is utmost necessary as the drive along the straight expressway is providing to be tiring for the vehicle drivers. Though the travel period to Mumbai end on the 700 km plus expressway is cut down due to straight mode of driving, it is however taking toll of drivers who are getting fatigued. Already MSRDC has rollout out few petrol/diesel outlets but their numbers too is being planned to be increased over the period of time. Even now the helplines no instituted by the agency has maximum call enquiring about the amenities. The way big land parcel are on offer, it seems MSRDC plan is to have upscale restaurants as well as hotels along side the Samruddhi Expressway.