Outer ring road: Kumbh Mela Authority approves Rs3,954 crore for civil works

Nashik: The Nashik-Trimbakeshwar Kumbh Mela Authority (NTKMA) on Tuesday gave an administrative approval of Rs3,954 crore for construction of the 69.15km outer ring road.The approval was given during a review meeting of NTKMA with Nashik divisional commissioner Pravin Gedam in the chair. The authority had already given approval for acquisition of land.The outer ring road of Nashik will span 69.15 km starting from DRDO Junction (NH-60), encircling the city and reconnecting to the same corridor. The proposed four/six-lane corridor includes five major bridges, two railway over-bridges, eight vehicular underpasses, and service roads. The project integrates with four national highways and four state highways and is expected to substantially reduce congestion within the city while ensuring seamless regional mobility during Simhastha and beyond, said NTKMA officials.The outer ring road is being developed around Nashik city to ease traffic congestion on city roads ahead of the upcoming Kumbh Mela.Meanwhile, PWD minister Shivendra Raje Bhosale, while replying to questions raised by MLA Saroj Ahire and MLA Seema Hiray during the state assembly session on Tuesday, said they will approach the state revenue department and chief minister Devendra Fadnavis to provide special compensation to land‑affected people for the 69.5‑km outer ring road project to be constructed around Nashik city. The minister informed that the state will bear the total project cost of Rs7,613.47 crore, which includes Rs3,659.47 crore for land acquisition and Rs3,954 crore for civil works. Earlier, the Centre was expected to provide funds for construction of the roads. But considering the need to construct the outer ring road at the earliest ahead of Kumbh Mela, the state has decided to provide funds of Rs3,954 crore for construction of the outer ring road, said the minister.Both MLAs complained that farmers were not receiving adequate compensation and demanded maximum and uniform compensation for land‑affected persons/farmers.