The Union Cabinet has approved highway projects in Maharashtra and Odisha.

• To strengthen integrated transport infrastructure, the Union Cabinet approved two major highway projects in Maharashtra and Odisha.

• This approval was granted by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs under the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan.

• In Maharashtra, the 374-kilometer-long, six-lane greenfield access-controlled Nashik-Solapur-Akkalkot corridor was approved.

• The Maharashtra corridor project was sanctioned at a capital cost of ₹19,142 crore.

• This corridor is expected to improve connectivity to cities such as Nashik, Ahilyanagar, Solapur, and Kurnool.

• The project is designed for a speed of 100 kilometers per hour and is expected to reduce travel time by approximately 17 hours.

• It is expected to generate approximately 251.06 lakh person-days of direct employment and 313.83 lakh person-days of indirect employment.