A potentially fatal accident was narrowly avoided on Friday evening when a large slab of a bridge on the Hindu Hriday Samrat Late Balasaheb Thackeray Samruddhi Mahamarg collapsed near Maliwada. A motorcyclist had just crossed under the bridge moments before the incident, escaping unhurt by mere seconds.
The collapse came barely a day after Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis inaugurated the final 76-km stretch of the Rs 55,000-crore Samruddhi Expressway, officially completing the 701-km high-speed corridor linking Nagpur to Mumbai. With the entire expressway now operational, the travel time between the two cities has been reduced to approximately 8 hours from the earlier 18.
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06 June 2025
Spanning 701 km and cutting through 10 districts—including major urban centers such as Amravati, Aurangabad, and Nashik—the Samruddhi Mahamarg stands as one of India’s longest and costliest expressways. Its first stretch opened to traffic nearly two years ago and was hailed as a flagship infrastructure project aimed at transforming connectivity across Maharashtra.
However, Friday’s incident has raised serious concerns over construction quality. Local eyewitnesses said the bridge slab suddenly gave way moments after the biker passed through. Thankfully, no other vehicles were present at the time.
The contractor responsible for the maintenance of the expressway initiated immediate repairs. But the collapse has shaken public confidence. Citizens and commuters are now questioning how a key structural element could fail so soon after the expressway’s completion.
Authorities have yet to issue an official explanation, but the incident has sparked calls for a thorough safety audit and accountability from the builders and overseeing agencies.
Lo bhailog Samruddhi Mahamarg ka Full Tunnel Drive. Igatpuri to Kasara in 7 Minutes. #SamruddhiMahamarg pic.twitter.com/unESvO9dyq
— PowerTrain (@PowerTrain_YT) June 6, 2025
