When Will The Missing Link Of Pune-Mumbai Expressway Open? Read Details Here

While the news of traffic congestion on the Pune-Mumbai Expressway and the ensuing delays to reach their destination is not new, there is good news for travelers as the Missing Link of the Pune-Mumbai Expressway is in its final stages of completion.

It should be noted that the missing link of the Pune-Mumbai Expressway will reduce travel time by half an hour for those commuting between Pune and Mumbai. It will also reduce the distance by 13.3 kilometers. This will be great news for international flyers too, as it will reduce travel time to the Navi Mumbai International Airport, which is scheduled to open in April, and will improve the ease of commuting on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway.

As per the report by the Hindustan Times, the route is expected to open to traffic by June this year as nearly 90% of the work has been completed.

The project has been divided into two execution packages. Package-I includes two eight-lane tunnels measuring 1.75 km and 8.92 km in length, while Package-II comprises two eight-lane viaducts spanning 790 m and 650 m.

Current bottlenecks on expressway

Currently, the Mumbai-Pune Expressway section from the Khopoli exit to Sinhgad Institute is 19 km long. This distance will be reduced to 13.3 km with the completion of the new link, decreasing the total length of the expressway by 6 km and cutting travel time by 20-25 minutes. The project's total cost is estimated at Rs 6,695.37 crore.

At present, the Mumbai-Pune Expressway and NH-4 converge near the Khalapur Toll Plaza and diverge near the Khandala exit. The section from Adoshi Tunnel to Khandala exit is a six-lane road, but it accommodates traffic from both the six-lane YCEW and four-lane NH-4, leading to congestion, especially during heavy traffic and landslides. This results in decreased speeds and increased travel time in this section, prompting drivers to speed up on the rest of the expressway, contributing to a higher number of accidents.

A feasibility study for the expressway suggested an alternate route for the entire ghat section. MSRDC appointed a technical advisory committee to review the detailed project report (DPR) submitted by the consultant. Based on the committee's suggestions, the alignment of the Missing Link and the DPR were approved, leading to the commencement of work on the project.