Mega Expressway Push in Maharashtra: Mumbai to Bengaluru in 5.5 Hours, Mumbai–Pune in Just 90 Minutes
No Air Ambulance Service on Pune–Mumbai Expressway as MSRDC Flags Cost, Terrain Challenges
Maharashtra is set to witness a transformative upgrade in its road infrastructure with the announcement of a massive ₹1.5 lakh crore package aimed at reducing travel times, boosting logistics, and easing commuter stress. Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, unveiled several high-profile projects, including a second Mumbai–Pune Expressway, a new Pune–Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar expressway, and multiple initiatives to strengthen Pune’s urban and regional connectivity.
The proposed 130-km Mumbai–Pune Expressway II will run parallel to the existing expressway at an estimated cost of ₹15,000 crore. Stretching from Atal Setu near JNPA to Shivare Junction in Pune, this corridor promises to slash the current travel time of 2.5–3 hours to just 90 minutes. During peak traffic in the ghats, the journey often takes even longer, making this project a significant relief for daily commuters.
Gadkari highlighted that once this expressway is operational, travelers will be able to reach Bengaluru from Pune via Mumbai in just 5.5 hours, substantially improving business and tourism connectivity. The first phase, connecting Pagote near JNPA to Chowk in Panvel, has already received official approval.
A new greenfield expressway between Pune and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar is also on the horizon, with MSIDC spearheading the project at a cost of ₹16,318 crore. The expressway will reduce travel time between the two cities to just two hours, and facilitate travel from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar to Nagpur in approximately 2.5–3 hours.
The plan includes two alignments: one via Pune–Ahilyanagar–Sambhajinagar and another through Shikrapur and Beed district, improving connectivity across Marathwada and boosting regional trade and travel efficiency.
Pune district alone is set to receive nearly ₹50,000 crore in infrastructure investment, with construction expected to begin within three months. Among the key projects is the Talegaon–Chakan–Shikrapur elevated corridor, a four-tier project costing ₹4,207 crore that integrates a road, flyovers, and a metro line. Gadkari confirmed that tendering is complete, and groundwork will commence post-local body elections.
Additionally, the Hadapsar–Yavat elevated road project is in the DPR stage, with construction slated to start after elections.
To improve freight movement, NHAI plans a new 15-km link road connecting Morbe and Kalamboli, linking the Delhi–Mumbai Expressway directly to JNPA. This ₹9,000 crore initiative aims to ensure smooth connectivity for ports as the Maharashtra stretch of the Delhi–Mumbai Expressway nears completion by 2026.
Gadkari emphasized, “Road projects worth ₹1.5 lakh crore have been approved for Maharashtra, and work will start in 2026. For Pune alone, projects worth ₹50,000 crore have been cleared, with construction set to begin within the next three months.”
