Nashik To Akkalkot In Just 4 Hours? The Link On The Chennai-Surat Expressway Gets A Green Signal
Once complete, the travel time between Nashik and Akkalkot will drop from 9 hours to just 4 hours.
The long-awaited Nashik–Akkalkot highway is finally set to roll out.
After facing several delays, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has now decided to move forward with this key stretch under the Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) model.
The final proposal has been submitted to the Centre, and tenders will be floated once it gets the green signal, as per Swarajya.
Why Is This Highway So Important?
The Nashik–Akkalkot corridor is part of the massive 1,271 km Chennai–Surat Expressway, which links six Indian states – Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu.
This route connects major cities like Surat, Nashik, Solapur, and Tirupati, boosting trade and travel.
The 374-km Nashik–Akkalkot stretch is considered one of the most vital segments of the expressway. It will have six lanes and will be built in two parts:
Earlier, the project was floated under the hybrid annuity model but didn't take off due to technical and financial challenges. This led NHAI to adopt the BOT model instead, allowing private players to take a more active role. Now, with the Public-Private Partnership Appraisal Committee giving its nod, the project is back on track.
How Will This Benefit Travellers?
Once the road is ready, travel time between Nashik and Akkalkot will drop from nine hours to just four. And when the full expressway is complete, Nashik to Surat could be done in as little as two hours.
Additionally, the route will connect to the Delhi–Mumbai Expressway at Navsari, providing better access to the national capital and strengthening transport links between the west and south of India.
view comments
Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
8 minutes ago
- Time of India
Telangana car owners may not benefit from Centre's Annual Toll Pass scheme
File photo NEW DELHI: Private car owners in Telangana won't be able to avail the Annual Toll Pass scheme for National Highways (NHs) and expressways to be launched by the Centre on Aug 15, as vehicles registered in the state have not yet been migrated to the Vahan database (central registry of vehicles). The annual pass, to be issued from next week, requires real-time validation of vehicle class through the Vahan portal. Union transport secretary V Umashankar, in a letter addressed to Telangana chief secretary last week, sought the 'personal intervention' of the top state official to expedite the migration of the state's vehicle data to Vahan portal and ensure 'equitable access to the nationwide facility for road users'. In his letter, Umashankar highlighted how the Centre had reached out to the state govt in May this year for merger of state registers for driving licence (DL) and registration certificate (RC) of vehicles with the national registers —Sarathi and Vahan -- but the same has not happened yet. Except Telangana, all other states have come on board, officials said. They expect the state to act quickly, as the issue is crucial for dealing with DL and RC related matters at the national level. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Learn More - How Donating Plasma May Boost Your Income SpellRock Undo Umashankar has said that only vehicles registered as 'non-commercial car/ jeep/ van' are eligible to get the FASTag-based pass by paying Rs 3,000, granting them 200 toll-free crossings on NHs in a year. Sources said the National Highways Authority of India is giving finishing touches to the scheme and putting all infrastructure in place for starting the registration process. A special team has been trained to handle queries relating to the scheme at their call centre.
News18
30 minutes ago
- News18
Air India Cancels Bhubaneswar-Delhi Flight Over 'High Cabin Heat'
Last Updated: This was Air India's second technical snag of the day, after it cancelled flight AI349 from Singapore to Chennai due to a pre-boarding maintenance issue Air India cancelled a Delhi-bound flight from Bhubaneswar on Sunday after a technical fault led to unusually high temperatures inside the aircraft cabin before take-off. The airline said the decision was taken to ensure passenger safety. The flight, AI500, was scheduled to depart from Bhubaneswar at 12:35 pm and arrive in Delhi by 2:55 pm. According to flight tracking site Flightradar24, the service was to be operated by an Airbus A321 aircraft. However, the airline did not confirm the aircraft model or disclose how many passengers were affected. In a statement, Air India said, 'Flight AI500 scheduled to operate from Bhubaneswar to Delhi on August 3 has been cancelled due to a technical issue causing high cabin temperature on ground prior to the departure." The airline added that its team at Bhubaneswar airport was helping affected passengers with alternative travel options. This was the second technical snag reported by Air India on the same day. Earlier, the airline cancelled flight AI349 from Singapore to Chennai due to a maintenance issue identified before boarding. Adding to the airline's recent troubles, Air India is still facing scrutiny after a tragic crash in June involving a Boeing 787-8 aircraft headed to London Gatwick. The plane crashed shortly after take-off, killing 241 people on board and 19 on the ground. Concerns about flight safety in India appear to be growing. A recent survey by LocalCircles found that 76% of respondents felt airlines were spending more on advertising than safety. About 64% said they had experienced at least one difficult flight in the past three years. (With inputs from PTI) view comments First Published: August 03, 2025, 23:02 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
NDTV
2 hours ago
- NDTV
'Lost Passport, Visa, Cash': Indian Entrepreneur Recounts 48-Hour Ordeal In Spain
An Indian entrepreneur has documented his horrific experience after his passport, visa and cash were stolen abroad. In a post shared on X (formerly Twitter), Ayush Panchmiya revealed that he had gone to Spain, where he endured the worst 48 hours of his travel life and how he managed to come out of it. The incident happened when Mr Panchmiya and his team were "editing content for a couple of clients" at a Starbucks outlet. "We had just landed in Barcelona after a heavy week at Ethereum Community Conference & Workshop (ETHCC) Cannes. It was a chill morning for us. Our team was at Starbucks, editing content for a couple of clients," wrote Mr Panchmiya. "I stepped outside for a quick call, left my small black bag under the table, something I'd done a hundred times on trips like these." Having only been gone a few seconds, Mr Panchmiya returned to his bag being gone which had his passport, visa, credit cards and a "good chunk of cash". Despite approaching the authorities and begging them to show the CCTV, Mr Panchmiya was left hapless. With the Indian embassy shut down over the weekend, he was left with no option but to wait till Monday. "Walked in as soon as they [embassy] opened. And I cannot thank them enough, they issued me an emergency certificate (a temporary passport) in just 4 to 5 hours. That same evening, I was back on a flight to India." The entrepreneur said he was sharing his experience not to rant but to help people understand their options if they find themselves in a similar situation. "If you travel often, especially around Europe, this can happen to anyone," he said. "Ask for an emergency certificate. If your flight is close, they can issue one in hours." See the viral post here: I lost my passport, US visa, and all my cash… in Spain. Let me walk you through the worst 48 hours of my travel life and how I got out of it. We had just landed in Barcelona after a heavy week at ETHCC Cannes. It was a chill morning for us. Our team was at Starbucks, editing… — Ayush Panchmiya (@lets_ash) August 2, 2025 Also Read | Auto Driver Drops Woman Passenger Midway, Questions Her Life Choices: 'Why'd You Take The Job...' 'Not to be rude but...' As the post went viral, a section of social media users empathised with Mr Panchmiya while others questioned why he had kept the bag out of his sight with the important items. "Not to be rude but Barcelona is literally the most renowned city for pickpocketing. Leaving a bag unattended with your passport in it is insane," said one user, while another added: "In general avoid traveling day to day with your passport on you. It's infinitely safer in your hotel lock box."
