The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) has issued tenders for leasing 50 acres near Amane in Thane to establish an international cricket stadium and coaching academy along the Mumbai-Nagpur Samruddhi Expressway. The Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) has expressed interest, with stringent financial and expertise criteria to be met. The 99-year lease aligns with MCA's plans for new grounds in Thane and Navi Mumbai, addressing the lack of cricket coaching facilities in Thane compared to Mumbai. Additionally, MSRDC is involved in land pooling initiatives at Igatpuri, contributing to infrastructure enhancement and traffic flow improvements on the Mumbai-Nashik highway.
The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) has initiated tenders to lease 50 acres near Amane in Thane for an international cricket stadium and coaching academy along the Mumbai-Nagpur Samruddhi Expressway. Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) expressed interest, prompting the open tender. Strict financial and expertise criteria must be met, with final approval pending. Aimed at providing sports facilities near Mumbai, especially for Adivasi communities, the 99-year lease aligns with MCA's plans for new grounds in Thane and Navi Mumbai.
Thane, with six municipal corporations, currently lacks a cricket coaching facility, contrasting Mumbai's two stadiums. The endeavour seeks to utilize the land for sports activities, benefiting students in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, including smaller Adivasi communities. MCA's vision includes constructing two new grounds in Thane and Navi Mumbai, reducing the need for players to travel to South Mumbai for practice and matches. The MSRDC's leasing plan for cricket activities spans 99 years, promoting long-term sports development.
In addition to the Amane project, MSRDC is engaged in land pooling initiatives at Igatpuri in Nashik. This involves a separate tender, making MSRDC a co-developer for 10-12 hectares of open land. Each wayside amenity site's minimum investment is expected to be Rs 50 crore, with a construction timeline of 60 months post-agreement signing. This strategic move aims to enhance infrastructure and streamline traffic flow, especially from Bhiwandi's warehouses, on the Mumbai-Nashik highway.
The Samruddhi Mahamarg project, overseeing the 701-km expressway connecting Nagpur to Mumbai via Thane, is progressing under MSRDC's guidance. Presently, the final 101-km stretch connecting to Mumbai is under construction, with about 80 km already completed. This segment encounters challenging terrain, including mountains and lakes, necessitating 16 viaducts and six tunnels. Furthermore, MSRDC is widening the Mumbai-Nashik highway (NH 3) between Vadpe and Majiwada in Thane to eight lanes, addressing the region's growing traffic needs.
Upon full operationalization, Samruddhi Mahamarg aims to reduce travel time between Nagpur and Mumbai to 8 hours from the current 16. The expressway opened in two phases: the Nagpur to Shirdi section was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in December 2022, and the Shirdi to Bharvir section was inaugurated by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde in May. The pending stretch between Bharvir in Igatpuri and Mumbai is the final phase and is yet to be completed.
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