MSRDC Proposes Widening Of 8 Lanes on Mumbai-Pune Expressway
Mumbai-Pune eway to become 8-lane; MSRDC sends proposal to state govt
Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation Ltd (MSRDC) has proposed 8 lanes Widening on Mumbai-Pune Expressway.
Rahul Vasaikar, Superintendent Engineer, MSRDC Pune, said “The number of passengers and vehicles between Pune-Mumbai has increased rapidly. The state government has decided to make this expressway eight-lane to remove the traffic congestion and accordingly a proposal has been sent to the government. As soon as this proposal is approved, the work of preparing a detailed report will be started.”
As per further information, there is a possibility that two more tunnels will have to be constructed as per the need while making the Pune to Mumbai Expressway eight-lane. The two tunnels currently being constructed through the ‘missing link’ are likely to be sufficient for increased capacity. However, considering the future, two more tunnels will be tested by the MSRDC.
About 160 hectares of land will be required for this. As this land is currently under the possession of the forest department, it is likely that it will be available soon with various permissions.
Why the expressway must be eight lanes?
· Pune to Mumbai missing link work is in final stage.
· The Missing Link, Navi Mumbai Airport is likely to increase traffic from Pune to Mumbai and from Mumbai to Pune.
· 30 percent more vehicles are travelling on this expressway than the daily traffic capacity.
Instead of three-and-a-half hours, it is often seen that citizens take five hours or more to travel. The ‘missing link’ project has been undertaken by the MSRDC itself to break the deadlock on the expressway.
The six-lane expressway between Pune and Mumbai will now be made eight-lane. Its Detailed Project Report (DPR) will be prepared. A thousand crore rupees is expected to be spent. One lane on each side will be extended on the existing expressway. Its proposal has been sent to the government. The proposal is expected to be approved before December 2023.
Shreyas Vange
