New Superfast Highway Near Pune to Feature 2 Airstrips, 55 Flyovers, and 22 Interchanges
State Approves ₹5,262 Crore Six-Lane Flyover Between Hadapsar And Yavat To Ease Pune-Solapur Highway Traffic
PUNE: A new era of connectivity between Mumbai, Pune, and Bengaluru is on the horizon. The government has announced the construction of a ₹40,000 crore Pune-Bengaluru Expressway that will significantly reduce travel time between Mumbai and Bengaluru from 18 hours to just 6 hours.
Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, had earlier announced the Green Express Highway project, and work on the Pune-Bengaluru Expressway is now progressing at a rapid pace. This upcoming superfast highway will branch off from the Pune Ring Road section of the Mumbai-Pune Expressway.
Key Features of the Pune-Bengaluru Superfast Expressway
The new expressway, being built under the Bharatmala Pariyojna, will stretch approximately 700 km, directly linking Pune and Bengaluru — two major IT hubs. Designed as an access-controlled greenfield highway, the route will include two emergency airstrips, 55 flyovers, and 22 interchanges. Only high-speed vehicles will be permitted, with a speed limit of up to 120 km/h.
One of the major advantages of the new expressway is the reduction in distance between Pune and Bengaluru by about 95 km, drastically cutting travel time. Currently, traveling from Mumbai to Bengaluru takes 18–19 hours, and from Pune to Bengaluru around 15–16 hours. Once the new highway is completed, Pune-Bengaluru travel will take just 4–5 hours, and Mumbai-Bengaluru around 6 hours.
Route and Connectivity
The Pune-Bengaluru Expressway will pass through 12 districts across Maharashtra and Karnataka. In Maharashtra, it will begin at Kanjale on the Pune Ring Road, traversing Pune, Satara, and Sangli districts. In Karnataka, it will pass through Belagavi, Bagalkot, Gadag, Koppal, Vijayanagar, Davanagere, Chitradurga, Tumakuru, and finally reach Bengaluru Rural before entering Bengaluru city.
The 8-lane superfast highway will be constructed under the supervision of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).
Pune-Bengaluru Expressway: A Boost for Trade and Travel
The Pune-Bengaluru Expressway is poised to strengthen the economic corridor between Mumbai, Pune, and Bengaluru. With faster movement of goods and people, it will be a major catalyst for trade, IT industries, and regional development across Maharashtra and Karnataka.
