Outram Ghat to See Major Upgrade with 12.5 km Tunnel on Solapur-Dhule Highway
A major infrastructure upgrade is on the horizon for Outram Ghat along the Solapur-Dhule National Highway No. 52, as a ₹2,600 crore proposal has been submitted for the construction of a 12.5-kilometer-long tunnel through the ghat section. The project aims to ease transportation and reduce the detour currently faced by heavy vehicles.
According to Ravindra Ingole, Project Director of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), the proposed tunnel's alignment has already been submitted to the NHAI headquarters for approval. Once approved, the Detailed Project Report (DPR) will be finalized, followed by the tendering process.
Joint discussions regarding railway and highway development in the region took place between April 4 and June 2, 2025. However, both departments have now decided to implement their projects independently, which has cleared the direction for the tunnel construction.
The project received a significant push after Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari gave it the green signal during a meeting in Nashik. The decision to construct the tunnel was finalized at that time.
Need for the Tunnel
Currently, heavy traffic is restricted on the Outram Ghat road, forcing vehicles to take a 110-kilometer detour, leading to increased travel time and fuel costs. Approximately 22,000 vehicles use this route daily, and that number is projected to cross 40,000 in the near future. Given these statistics, officials emphasized the urgency of executing the tunnel project to ease traffic congestion and support economic activity.
Railway Line Survey Underway
In parallel, a preliminary survey for a proposed railway line between Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Chalisgaon is also underway. The survey is being conducted in the Chapaner, Jalgaon Ghat, and Takli Lavhali areas of Kannad taluka, as directed by the Ministry of Railways. A team from Jharkhand is leading this effort, and further survey activities are planned across other identified regions.
Project Director Ingole added, “While the railway and highway projects are independent, we are simultaneously planning for both. As soon as tunnel alignment approval comes through, we will immediately begin the next phase.”
This dual development approach is expected to enhance connectivity in the region significantly and support long-term infrastructure growth.