Maharashtra Industrial Township Limited (MITL) celebrated the sixth anniversary of the AURIC Industrial Smart City at AURIC Hall, Shendra Industrial Area, on Saturday, marking six years of progress and one year since Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated the Bidkin Industrial Area (BIA) to the nation on 29 September 2024. The event showcased AURIC’s achievements, new initiatives, and its roadmap for future expansion.

During the celebration, MITL unveiled a series of digital and service ecosystem upgrades, including the launch of the MITL logo and website, a Utility Billing Dashboard, and a Right to Services feature. A coffee table book chronicling AURIC’s journey and vision for industrial excellence was also released.

A major highlight of the event was the inauguration of the AURIC–Samruddhi Connector, a vital logistics link providing direct access to the Samruddhi Mahamarg (Mumbai–Nagpur Expressway). The new connector enhances connectivity to Mumbai, Nagpur, and JNPT Port, positioning AURIC as a strategic industrial gateway to domestic and global markets. It is expected to reduce transport time and costs significantly, improving the ease of doing business for industries within AURIC.

The event was attended by Uday Samant, Minister for Industries and Marathi Language, Atul Save, Sanjay Shirsat, Indranil Naik, Dr P. Anbalagan, Secretary (Industries) and Chairman, MITL, and P. Velrasu, CEO, MIDC, among other dignitaries.

Over the past six years, AURIC has become a symbol of industrial transformation in Maharashtra. The city has allocated 327 plots across 3,039 acres of industrial land and 137 acres of mixed-use space, attracting projects with an investment potential exceeding Rs 720 billion and the capacity to generate over 63,700 jobs. At present, 78 units are operational, more than 70 factories are under construction, and 182 projects are preparing to begin work.

AURIC offers plug-and-play industrial infrastructure, including wide roads, reliable power and water supply, and advanced waste and effluent treatment systems. This reduces both the time and cost of establishing operations, particularly benefiting MSMEs and small-scale enterprises by enabling them to focus on production and exports without infrastructure constraints.

The city has also attracted major global and domestic investors, including Ather Energy (EVs), Lubrizol (chemicals), Toyota Kirloskar (automobiles), and JSW Green Mobility, especially within the Bidkin Industrial Area. These projects alone are expected to bring Rs 562 billion in investment and create more than 35,000 jobs, driving economic growth across the Marathwada region.

Speaking at the event, Industries Minister Uday Samant praised AURIC’s contribution to Maharashtra’s industrial progress and its alignment with the national vision of Viksit Bharat@2047. He emphasised that AURIC’s growth reinforces India’s ‘Make in India, Make for the World’ initiative and highlighted plans to acquire additional land for expansion while ensuring farmers’ livelihoods are safeguarded.

P.D. Malikner (Retd. IAS), Managing Director, and Datta Bhadakwad, Joint Managing Director of MITL, invited investors to participate in AURIC’s next phase of development. They reaffirmed MITL’s commitment to transforming AURIC into a global manufacturing powerhouse, showcasing the future of smart, sustainable industrialisation in India.