Maharashtra government approved a guarantee for Rs2,353.94 crore loan to be raised by Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) from HUDCO for land acquisition of the proposed Nagpur-Chandrapur e-way.

The Maharashtra government approved the revised alignment for the Nagpur–Chandrapur Expressway on 21 February 2026. The expressway will be 204.799 km long, including an 11.969 km Chandrapur link road. The revised alignment was prepared after exploring ways to reduce forest land impact.

₹2,353.94 crore approved for land acquisition: ₹1,493.31 crore towards land cost and ₹860.63 crore potential interest. The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) will raise a loan from HUDCO to support the project.

MSRDC had floated tenders for three corridors in Vidarbha (Nagpur–Chandrapur, Nagpur–Gondia and Bhandara–Gadchiroli) but cancelled due to longer land acquisition timelines. Fresh tenders for Nagpur–Chandrapur expected within months.

The project received environmental clearance; revised proposal submitted for updated alignment. Once operational, will reduce travel time between Nagpur and Chandrapur from three to three-and-a-half hours to nearly two hours.

The Maharashtra government approved construction of a 204-km four-lane cement-concrete highway between Nagpur and Chandrapur, with 11 km of connecting road to Chandrapur city. Total cost including land acquisition: Rs 2,353.39 crore. Decision made during Cabinet Infrastructure Committee meeting chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. The highway is being built up to Navegaon More; CM instructed extension up to Surjagad Iron Project. CM directed creation of a development 'ecosystem' in surrounding areas and advance land acquisition planning. CM also instructed submission of proposal for Chandrapur-Mul highway. CM emphasized time limits for completion of development projects, stating delayed projects burden state finances. Currently Rs 10 lakh crore worth of infrastructure projects underway in Maharashtra. CM directed all projects be registered on Gatishakti portal before starting work. CM instructed Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation to expand operations and create different departments for project implementation. Expert manpower from external sources should be sourced to expedite projects. ID system for infrastructure projects to help curb irregularities in payments. Public Works and Water Supply Department to implement time-bound program for settling outstanding payments. Deputy CMs Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar, Medical Education Minister Hasan Mushrif, and Chief Secretary Rajesh Kumar were present.