Atal Setu Expansion To Reduce Travel Time As 8-Lane Highway To Connect Mumbai, Pune, Solapur, and Satara
Atal Setu Expansion To Reduce Travel Time As 8-Lane Highway To Connect Mumbai, Pune, Solapur, and Satara
September 19, 2024
The Shivdi-Nhava Sheva Sea Link Highway, commonly called Atal Setu, has greatly shortened the journey time between Mumbai and Pune. Soon, it will be linked to Solapur and Satara through a new expressway, which is projected to cost ₹17,000 crore.
This upcoming highway will offer a direct road connection from Atal Setu to Solapur and Satara, further cutting down the travel time between Mumbai and Pune. According to officials from the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), this new route will save travelers 75 to 90 minutes. The proposed highway will span 130 kilometers, directly linking Atal Setu and JNPT (Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust) with Pune, Satara, and Solapur. It will consist of eight lanes to facilitate quicker travel. The project is expected to cost ₹17,500 crore, and the NHAI is currently working on the project outline.
The current Mumbai-Pune Expressway frequently experiences heavy traffic, especially with long lines of vehicles in the ghat sections. The problem of congestion has worsened due to increased urbanization and industrialization along the route. To tackle this issue, a “missing lane” is being built in the Lonavala area to help reduce travel time, and this project is nearing completion. However, experts believe that this solution may not be enough in the long run. In this light, connecting Atal Setu to Solapur and Satara through the expressway is viewed as a significant advantage.
Recently, Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari announced plans for an additional highway that will link Atal Setu. This new 14-lane road will connect Bengaluru and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and will also be integrated with the Pune Ring Road.
