While the Nagpur-Shirdi section of the Samruddhi Highway has been opened to traffic, stray animals and livestock pose a serious threat to drivers. The absence of roadside amenities, such as motels and eateries, is a major issue, as we discovered during our tour of the Shirdi-Nagpur stretch. Additionally, we found that in many places, the farmers had taken down the fences (walls) that were built to keep cattle and stray animals off the road.

‘Travel of 8 km for meals’

Motorist Hitendra Pachkale said, “There is no denying that the Samruddhi Highway saves a significant amount of travel time, but the absence of services like hotels and restaurants creates a great deal of frustration for motorists. To get meals, we had to exit the Samruddhi Highway and travel 6 to 8 kilometers to Sindhakhed Raja town in Buldhana.”