Gadkari reviews progress of Sant Tukaram Maharaj Palkhi Marg (NH 965G)

Union minister Nitin Gadkari reviewed the progress of the 130-km Sant Tukaram Maharaj Palkhi Marg (NH 965G), spanning from Patas in Pune district to Pandharpur in Solapur district. The project, costing ₹4,416 crore, is divided into three phases: Patas to Baramati, Baramati to Indapur, and Indapur to Tondale. As of the review, the Patas–Baramati stretch is completed, while Baramati–Indapur is 84% complete and Indapur–Tondale is 96% complete. The highway aims to provide a safer, smoother pilgrimage route with dedicated walking paths, bypasses, modern bridges, and underpasses. Environmental measures include transplanting around 400 trees, planting native shade trees, and deepening nearly 25 lakes to benefit about 25 villages, along with wildlife underpasses at Hingangada and Kanheri. Bypasses are planned at Baramati, Nimgaon Ketki, Bhavaninagar, Bavda, Akluj, and Shreepur-Borgaon. Gadkari noted that nearly two lakh cubic metres of material excavated from a lake near Kanheri were used for highway construction, and a concrete irrigation spillway was developed after further deepening the lake. He emphasized that the remaining work is expected to be completed soon and framed the project as an integration of devotion, development, and sustainability.