The completion of a stretch of the Nagpur-Mumbai Samruddhi Super Communication Expressway between Nagpur and Shirdi will be a dream come true for Devendra Fadnavis, who conceptualised and began the road work in his tenure as the chief minister, and Eknath Shinde, the minister in-charge then and now the CM. The stretch will be dedicated to the commuters on December 11 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who will also launch the remaining lines of the Nagpur Metro the same day.

Both Fadnavis and Shinde together had a test drive between Nagpur and Shirdi on Sunday. They took turns at the wheel and predicted that the expressway will help the development of the hinterlands of Vidarbha and Marathwada. The 520-km stretch is a significant part of the total 701-km road. One can reach Shirdi by paying a minimum of Rs 900 in toll charges at a rate of Rs 1.73 per km. Facilities such as 18 petrol pumps and toilets have been created along the expressway. Under construction food plazas have made temporary arrangements for refreshments. With an estimated cost of Rs 49,250 crore, the expressway passes through 392 villages spread over 11 districts. The remaining stretch between Shirdi and Mumbai will be finished in the next six months.