Prime Minister Modi lays foundation stone for 4-laning of two major highways in Maharashtra

Prime Minister Modi on November 8, 2021, lays the foundation stone for four-laning of the five sections of Shri Sant Dnyaneshawar Maharaj Palkhi Marg (NH-965) and the three sections of Shri Sant Tukaram Maharaj Palkhi Marg (NH- 965G) at 3.30 PM via video conferencing.

The dedicated walkways for ‘Palkhi’ will be constructed on either side of these highways and provide hassle-free and safe passage to the devotees. The Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari and the Chief Minister of Maharashtra Uddhav Thackeray will also be present on the occasion.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi lays foundation stone of four laning of key sections of Sant Dnyaneshawar Maharaj Palkhi Marg and Sant Tukaram Maharaj Palkhi Marg. pic.twitter.com/xWFzZin8dw

— ANI (@ANI) November 8, 2021

4-laning of major highways in Maharashtra

With Prime Minister Modi laying the foundation stone for the two major highways in Maharashtra-

• about 221 km of Sant Dnyanheshawar Maharaj Palkhi Marg from Diveghat to Mohol and,

• 130 km of Sant Tukaram Maharaj Palkhi Marg from Patas to Tondale-Bondale will be four-laned with the dedicated walkways for ‘Palkhi’ on either side.

• The four laning will be done at an estimated cost of more than Rs. 6,690 crores and about Rs. 4,400 crore respectively.

Union Road Transport & Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari and Chief Minister of Maharashtra Uddhav Thackeray will be present on the occasion, PMO added.

— ANI (@ANI) November 7, 2021

PM Modi dedicates completed and upgraded road projects to the nation

• Prime Minister Modi, during the event, will also dedicate to the nation more than 223 km of upgraded and completed road projects. They are constructed at an estimated cost of over Rs. 1,180 crore at the different National Highways for boosting connectivity to Pandharpur.

• The upgraded and completed projects include Kurduwadi-Pandharpur (NH-965C), Mhaswad-Piliv-Pandharpur (NH 548E), Pandharpur-Sangola (NH 965-C), Tembhurni-Pandharpur Section of NH 561A, and Pandharpur-Mangalwedha-Umadi section of NH 561A.

Why connectivity to Pandharpur is significant?

The devotees have been walking to Pandharpur for many centuries in Maharashtra, however, with the increased vehicular traffic on the routes of Pandharpur Wari, the facilities of safe pilgrimage and up-gradation had become the need of an hour.

With the up-gradation of the infrastructure in and around the Pandharpur, lakhs of devotees will be benefitted and the annual pilgrimage will be completely safe not only for warkaris, but also for the other devotees traveling to Pandharpur.