Advertisement
The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) has prepared a proposal to widen the 95-km Mumbai-Pune Expressway by adding four more lanes to the existing six-lane corridor. The plan, estimated at INR 14,260 crore, aims to address growing congestion, especially on the stretch between the Adoshi tunnel and the Khandala exit. The proposal will be sent to the state government for approval, and officials expect the expansion to be completed by 2030 if the process moves without delay. Traffic is likely to rise further once the upcoming 13.3-km missing link opens in 2026.
The Maharashtra government is considering a major expansion of the 95-km Mumbai-Pune Expressway, where traffic volumes have increased steadily over the years. The expressway currently has six lanes and sees around 80,000 to 100,000 vehicles every day, with higher movement on weekends and public holidays. The rise in vehicle numbers and continued congestion have prompted MSRDC to propose widening the expressway by four additional lanes. Advertisement
MSRDC officials stated that the widening proposal is ready and will be submitted to the state government for approval. The estimated cost of the expansion is INR 14,260 crore. Officials have also indicated that, subject to approvals and a timely tendering process, the additional lanes could be completed by 2030. The funding model under consideration includes a 40% contribution from the state government, while the remaining 60% would be covered by the private contractor selected for the project.
One of the key reasons behind this widening plan is the bottleneck between the Adoshi tunnel and the Khandala exit. This section experiences heavy congestion because traffic from the Old Mumbai-Pune Highway (NH-4), which has four lanes, merges with the six-lane expressway. MSRDC had earlier examined an eight-lane expansion but now plans to increase capacity to a total of ten lanes to avoid repeated upgrades in the coming years.
The expected rise in traffic after the launch of the 'missing link' project has also influenced the decision. The missing link is a 13.3-km stretch designed to bypass the steep ghat section near Lonavala and Khandala. It includes two tunnels-one of them nearly 8.9 km in length-and a cable-stayed bridge. Officials have indicated that this new section is expected to open in early 2026. Once operational, it is likely to reduce gradients, improve safety, and increase the number of vehicles choosing the expressway.
The expressway, which was fully opened in 2002, has been upgraded several times, but traffic pressure has continued to grow with rising inter-city movement and freight activity. MSRDC also plans to extend toll collection beyond April 2045 to support the financing of the widening project and ensure long-term maintenance.
In addition to this widening plan, a separate elevated corridor is being built to connect the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL) with the expressway. Costing around INR 1,100 crore, this project is expected to be completed by February 2027 and will streamline connectivity between Mumbai and the expressway.
5th Jun, 2025
25th May, 2023
11th May, 2023
27th Apr, 2023
Advertisement
Facebook
Whatsapp
