Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) has invited Request for Qualification (RFQ) from global construction majors for the Mumbai-Nagpur Super Communication Expressway project popularly known as the Maharashtra Samruddhi Corridor (MSC).   The RFQ has been invited for 16 packages on the EPC mode. Expected to be completed by 2019, the cost of the project is estimated at Rs 46,000-crore, which includes development of new towns along the expressway as agro prosperity hubs. Out of the total project cost, the cost of civil work for which the tenders are invited is estimated at Rs 27,650-crore, which includes the cost for node development which is estimated at Rs 2,400 crore and Rs 500 crore towards utility shifting. The land cost in the project is estimated at Rs 13,000 crore.   "Encouraged by the overall response from farmers across all the concerned districts in the state, we are confident of getting consents for the project soon after the completion of the Joint Measurement Survey. We would like to see the participation of quality players from the construction sector from across the globe. We expect a good response to the RFQ”, Kiran Kurundkar, Joint Managing Director, MSRDC, said.   The government has adopted the land-pooling method wherein farmers whose land is acquired would be returned developed land in the new towns besides being given annuity for their loss of agriculture produce. The MSC Corridor is essentially a 706-kilometre super communication expressway between the cities of Nagpur and Mumbai, connecting 10 key districts, 27 talukas and 385 villages of Maharashtra to form the East–West Axis for the entire state. It will effectively slash travel time along this axis by half, bringing it down to a mere eight hours. Out of the 34 rural districts, 24 will get connected to the MSC.   The Samruddhi Corridor will eventually be integrated with the Golden Quadrilateral and the Western corridor to ensure seamless connectivity across the state. In what is being viewed by many as a significant step towards providing a major fillip to the infrastructure of Maharashtra, the Maharashtra Prosperity Corridor will invite active participation of farmers in the developmental activities of the project. This development will not be to offer short-term gains but to offer sustainable development that will strengthen the rural economy and agri-business eco-systems.