<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/30982990.cms" /> With so many highway movies doing the rounds, sojourning from city to city and state to state feels like a romantic prelude to a long <keyword id="6374782" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="journey">journey</keyword> of self-discovery – till reality strikes. And just like a movie, the reality can be multilayered – varying from bad roads to gasping traffic and minimal road safety. But we promised you relief from those travelling conditions the next time we return with our <keyword id="2053047" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Open-roads">Open Roads</keyword> series. And here we are, with more information about a whole new bunch of <keyword id="2074695" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Intracity-and-inter-city-expressways">intracity and inter-city expressways</keyword> that not only reduce <keyword id="4251245" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Commute-time">commute time</keyword> but also reshape a country’s landscape, <keyword id="34412" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="economy">economy</keyword> and way of life. In the last slideshow of this series, the journey begins from the <keyword id="44875" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="West-coast">west coast</keyword> and goes down south. 
 As we have mentioned before, expressways are limited-access roads designed for high-speed traffic. The economic impact of an <keyword id="2074705" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Expressway-network">expressway network</keyword> criss-crossing the country is all too obvious and the <keyword id="6404450" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Ministry-of-Road-Transport-and-Highways">Ministry of Road Transport and Highways</keyword> (MoRTH) has already recommended a total <keyword id="2074707" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="E-way-network">e-way network</keyword> of about 18,637 km in the country. Development work is being done in three phases and is scheduled to be completed by 2022. During the Interim Budget, <keyword id="6355261" type="POSITION" weightage="60" keywordseo="Finance-minister">Finance Minister</keyword> <keyword id="43940" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="P-Chidambaram">P Chidambaram</keyword> also told the Parliament the road network in the country witnessed over sevenfold increase at 3.89 lakh km over the past decade. 
 Does that mean we may soon see an <keyword id="2074709" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="E-way-ecosystem">e-way ecosystem</keyword> similar to the interstate system in the US? Given the obstacles in terms of <keyword id="6364579" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Land-acquisition">land acquisition</keyword>, <keyword id="414903" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="fund-crunch">fund crunch</keyword> and <keyword id="2074714" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Slow-implementation">slow implementation</keyword>, it’s definitely going to take some time. Meanwhile, hop into the driver’s seat and go off exploring some super-fast roads you have not travelled yet. After all, it’s a journey with no end… and wheels will always need roads. 
 
Image: Thinkstock Photos/Getty Images

Be It Intracity Or
Inter-city, These 5 Expressways Make Travelling A Breeze

<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/30157139.cms" /> Travelling around the wonderland that is India is a thrilling experience, especially when fast-moving super <keyword id="168020" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="expressways">expressways</keyword> are right here to ensure some wonderful on-the-road vacations. Of course there are business travellers who are in a hurry to reach their destinations and <keyword id="2053038" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Super-fast-expressways">super fast expressways</keyword> minus traffic snarls suit them down to the ground. But then, you can be one of those away on a leisure trip and looking forward to a fast and panoramic drive on your way to a new city. Either way, the expressways of India won’t disappoint you. As we mentioned before, expressways are controlled-access highways like the freeways or motorways or autobahnen in the US and Europe, essentially designed for high-speed traffic. As of now, most of the expressways in India are 6-8 lane toll <keyword id="6358996" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="roads">roads</keyword> and cover a total distance of nearly 1,208.19 km. 
 
Last month, we brought you <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/8-Super-ExpresswaysIn-North-India-That-Fulfil-Your-Need-For-Speed/articleshow/29486214.cms">8 super expressways</a> in North India that fulfil your need for speed. And this time, we move to the West and the North-west of the country where some more picturesque drives await us. However, the <keyword id="52840" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="sea-links">sea links</keyword> and the <keyword id="2053055" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Coastal-expressways">coastal expressways</keyword> will come up in our next article. So grab a coffee, get a map and read on. By the time you are through, you could be checking the map and picking out the spots where you want to go first. As the Turkish playwright <keyword id="1981629" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Mehmet-Murat">Mehmet Murat</keyword> ildan has said: Some roads are so beautiful that you know not whether you travel on the road or the road travels in you! 
 
Image: Thinkstock Photos/Getty Images

Open Roads Return: 6 Super
Expressways In West & North-west India

Mumbai, Feb 25 () Toll road firm IRB Infrastructure Developers on Tuesday said it has bagged a contract for operating and collecting toll on Mumbai-Pune Expressway project under the toll-operate-toll model. The company has received a letter of acceptance (LoA) from Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) for a period of 10 years and two months. The concession includes collection of toll and operation and maintenance activities on the expressway and old Mumbai-Pune highway NH-48 for the period up to April 30, 2030, the company said in a statement. As per the contract, IRB will have to pay Rs 8,262 crore to MSRDC for the rights for collecting toll, which would include an upfront payment of Rs 6,500 crore and a further staggered payment of Rs 850 crore each in second year and third year, and Rs 62 crore in fourth year. "The company will take possession of the project from March 1, 2020 and commence tolling and O&amp;M activities," IRB said. Commenting on the development, company's chairman and managing director Virendra Mhaiskar said, "We had managed this project for 15 years from 2004 to 2019 and hence we feel that it will help us in managing the project well and meet the expectations of all stakeholders." During the earlier concession period, IRB had paid Rs 918 crore to MSRDC for bagging the project. After the concession agreement lapsed in August last year, MSRDC had handed over toll collection on the stretch on temporary basis to Sahkar Global. Meanwhile, toll rates on the expressway are expected to increase from April 1 for three years after the appointment of new concessionaire. As per a government notification, the new toll rates for cars will increase from Rs 230 to Rs 270, while for mini buses it will go up from Rs 355 to Rs 420 for trucks, and it will rise from Rs 493 to Rs 580 for heavy axle vehicles. For buses, it will increase from Rs 675 to Rs 797, and for large trucks it will rise from Rs 1,165-1,555 to Rs 1,380-1,835. PSK RVK

IRB Infrastructure bags contract for operating, collecting toll on Mumbai-Pune Expressway

Mumbai, Mar 6 ()Thefirst budget of the Maha VikasAghadi (MVA) government, presented in the assembly on Friday,seeks to provide a fillip to infrastructuredevelopment in thestate by proposing an outlay of over Rs30,000 crore.Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who holds thefinance portfolio, said the government intends to develop aneconomic corridor of international standards in Sataradistrict under the Bengaluru-MumbaiEconomic Corridor (BMEC),project, which is on the lines of the Delhi Mumbai IndustrialCorridor (DMIC).Alongwith Satara, the adjoining Sangli and Solapurdistricts will also benefit from the proposed economiccorridor, he said, adding the estimated costof the project isRs 4,000 crore.Pawar saida provision of Rs 3,500 crorehas been madeto complete the Konkan marine highway in three years.He saidthe marine highwaywas planned keepingin viewtransportation requirements of the coastal region, but thehighway project has still not materialised.The Revas-Reddy stretch of the marine highway is stillunder development, he said, adding the entire highway will beconcretised and bridges over creeks at Bankot, Kelshi,Dabholand Jaigad will be constructed."The government plans to complete the work in the nextthree years. Funds will be made available to complete the workthrough Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC)in a time-bound manner," the finance minister said.A 170-km-long ring road has been proposed to diverttraffic coming to Pune from Nashik, Aurangabad, Hyderabad,Bengaluru and Mumbai, and make vehicles pass from outside thecity, Pawar said.For this purpose, an expenditure of Rs 15,000 crore isexpected, including land acquisition, he said."Work will start in the current year and the road willbe completed in the next four years by MSRDC," Pawar said.The government also proposes to implement a urbanroadscheme forupgrading, widening and beautifying mainmarket streets in all cities coming under the jurisdiction ofmunicipal corporations, councils and municipal panchayats, hesaid.A sum of Rs 1,000 crore has been earmarked for theurban roadscheme, Pawar said.He informed that Rs 1,657 crorewill be made availablefor metro projects in the state for 2020-21.In addition to the Maan-Hinjewadi-Shivajinagar routeunder Pune Metro, two new lines - Shivajinagar-Shevalewadi andMaan-Pirangut will also be started, Pawar said.Along with this, the new Pune Metro line from Vanaz toRamwadi will be expandedby extending the length of the linefrom Vanaz to Chandani Chowk and Ramwadi to Wagholi, he said.The length of the metro line from Pimpri-Chinchwad toSwargate will be increased and extended from Swargate toKatraj and from Pimpri-Chinchwad to Nigdi, Pawar said.More funds will be provided this year than the amountsearmarked in the last five years for Pune Metro, said the MLAfrom Baramati in Pune district.Under a new rural road development scheme, 4,0000 kmof roads will be taken up for construction and completedby2025, the minister said.An outlay of Rs 1,501 crorehas been proposedfor thisscheme forthe year 2020-21.He said 'in-principle' approvalhas been given forexpenditureof Rs 86 crore for launch of passenger transportfrom Mira Bhayander to Dombivli onVasai-Thane-Kalyan route.An outlay of Rs 50 crore has been proposed in 2020-21for the construction of a jetty at Radio Club, Colaba, underSagarmala programme for passenger transport and tourists,Pawar said.He said under the Sagarmala programme, construction ofjettiesfor Ro Ro service in the coastal ports at Vasai,Bhayander, Kharwadeshwari, Manori, Ghodbunder, Narangi,Malvan, Borivali, Gorai and Ambadveis in progress and anoutlay of Rs 65 crore has been proposed for this work during2020-21.For the next fiscal year,an outlay of Rs 276 crorehas been proposed for port development schemes, Pawar said.Funds will be made available for construction ofairports in Kolhapur, Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg, Akola andAmravati districts, he said.New airports will be constructed at Solapur and Punefor which an outlay of Rs 78 crore has been proposed during2020-21, the finance minister said.A sum of Rs 401 crore has been proposed for purchasing1,600 new buses to replace the old ones and for modernisationof bus stations of Maharashtra State Road TransportCorporation (MSRTC), he said.The government has provided additional equity of Rs8,500 crorefor the Nagpur-Mumbai Samruddhi Corridoras aresult of which Rs 2,500 crorehas been saved from interest onproject finance, Pawar added. MRRSY RSY

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Be It Intracity Or Inter-city, These 5 Expressways Make Travelling A Breeze

Sanghamitra Mandal

Open Roads Return: 6 Super Expressways In West & North-west India

Sanghamitra Mandal

IRB Infrastructure bags contract for operating, collecting toll on Mumbai-Pune Expressway

PTI

Maha budget gives big boost to infra with Rs 30,000-cr outlay

PTI