Trauma centre will soon be set up along Samruddhi Expressway: Minister

Nagpur, Dec 12 (PTI) Maharashtra Minister of State for Public Works Meghna Bordikar on Friday said the government will soon set up a trauma care centre on the Mumbai-Nagpur Samruddhi Expressway, and a proposal to start an air ambulance service is also ready.

In a calling attention motion, MLC Milind Narvekar asked whether the government will set up a trauma centre on Samruddhi Expressway to provide immediate medical treatment to the injured persons in the golden hours. He also asked if the government will start an air ambulance service on the expressway.

In response, minister Bordikar told the House that around three crore people have travelled on the Samruddhi Expressway so far and accidents or deaths occur on this expressway not due to any faulty road but due to over-speeding by drivers, drunk driving, tyre-related and other issues.

The government has taken steps to prevent accidents, she said.

"The government will soon set up a trauma centre on the Samruddhi Expressway. But till then, the government has signed MoUs with 14 big multi-speciality hospitals located along the Nagpur to Mumbai route, which will give immediate treatment in case of accidents," she said.

Bordikar also said that as per Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis' directions, a proposal for air ambulance is ready, and the service will soon be activated on the expressway.

MLC Parinay Fuke sought to know the status of the agro processing units that were expected to come up along the expressway.

In her reply, the minister the government had decided to start 'Samruddhi Kendra' for agro processing units on the expressway and accordingly the government is forming a special planning authority for setting up logistic parks, agro processing units and Special Economic Zones (SEZs) so that more and more youth could get employment opportunities.

Similarly, a tender process has been initiated for connecting the remaining districts of Vidarbha with the Samruddhi Expressway, Bordikar said.

Replying to a question asked by BJP member Pravin Darekar, Bordikar said approval has been given for starting fuel stations and snacks centres at 29 places and for amenities at 22 locations on the expressway. PTI CLS NP