Road travel between western and southern India is set for a major transformation. The Centre has approved a ₹19,142 crore national highway investment plan that will drastically reduce travel time between Surat and Chennai to just 17 hours, nearly cutting the journey duration in half. The project is part of India’s broader push to upgrade long-distance road connectivity and logistics efficiency.
What the Project Includes
At the heart of this plan is the construction of a 374-kilometre, six-lane, access-controlled greenfield highway in Maharashtra. The new corridor will connect Nashik, Ahmednagar and Akkalkot, forming a critical missing link between western and southern highway networks.
Designed for high-speed and uninterrupted travel, the highway will support average speeds of around 100 kmph, compared to the current average of about 60 kmph on existing routes. This upgrade will significantly improve both passenger and freight movement across multiple states.
Travel Time Cut by Nearly 45%
Once operational, the new corridor will reduce Surat–Chennai road travel time from roughly 31 hours to 17 hours — a reduction of around 45 percent. The distance between key nodes such as Nashik and Solapur will also shrink, improving overall route efficiency.
For long-haul truck operators, logistics firms and inter-state travellers, this translates into faster deliveries, lower fuel consumption, reduced driver fatigue, and better utilisation of vehicles.
Economic and Logistics Impact
The highway is expected to deliver wide-ranging economic benefits:
- Boost to logistics efficiency across western and southern India
- Faster movement of industrial goods, agricultural produce and exports
- Reduced transportation costs for businesses
- Improved access to interior regions and industrial clusters
By offering an alternative high-capacity corridor to existing routes, the project will ease congestion on traditional highways and support growing freight demand.
Project Execution and Employment
The highway will be developed under the build-operate-transfer (BOT) model, bringing in private investment alongside government support. Construction will be executed in large segments, creating substantial employment opportunities during the building phase and long-term economic activity once operational.
Land acquisition and preparatory work are already underway in several sections, indicating that the project has moved beyond the planning stage.
A Strategic Upgrade to India’s Highway Network
This corridor is part of India’s long-term strategy to build high-speed, access-controlled highways connecting major economic zones. By strengthening north-south and east-west connectivity, such projects aim to position road transport as a faster, more reliable alternative for long-distance travel.
