The 104 km Mumbai-Nashik expressway, which has a design speed of 80-120 km per hour, will be a four-lane expressway to be converted into six-lanes in the future. In phase I, the expressway will be from Thane-Bhiwandi bypass to Rajurabahula. In the second phase, it will be extended from both ends to Mumbai and Nashik. The construction period will be spread over three years.

Expected traffic is 35,000 PCUs per day in 2005, 50,000 PCUs per day in 2010 and 75,000 PCUs per day by 2020. At the current level of 28,000 PCUs per day, the highway is very congested. While the tentative toll has been set at Rs 60 for cars, trucks and buses will be charged Rs 175 per trip. The expressway willcomprise 12 major bridges, six minor bridges, four tunnels, 21 under passes and 15 overpasses.

The state government has already got a forest clearance from the ministry of environment and a NoC from the state pollution control board. A detailed engineering study is currently underway, following which the environmental clearance will be obtained. The other qualifiers for the Mumbai-Nashik expressway include Maytas Infra Ltd in consortium with Semb Corporation Singapore and Zoom Developer in collaboration with Hanjihn Engineering, Korea. The 104 km Mumbai-Talasari project has a design speed of 120 km per hour and will comprise 11 major bridges, 5 minor bridges, 23 under-passes and 22 over-passes. The current traffic level is 55,000 PCUs per day. For this project, the state government is still in the process of getting forest clearance and land acquisition is expected to begin next month.

Other qualifiers for the Mumbai-Talasari project include United Gulf and Jayswal Ashoka Infrastructure Ltd. Althoughboth expressways will be tolled, the state government has offered 1,500 hectares to the developer to enable him to recover the cost of construction. The promoter will also be given the freedom to set and revise the tariff. These will however be subject to government approval.

The PWD ministry had earlier wanted the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) to construct both the expressways. However, MSRDC had its plate full with the 55 flyovers in Mumbai and the Mumbai-Pune expressway. So, PWD minister Nitin Gadkari has opened both to private developers. Both the projects are being developed as alternatives to the existing national highways connecting the cities. The developer is therefore expected to face stiff competition once the existing road is four-laned by the NHAI. Despite this, the response to both projects has been good.