Pune-Shirur To Get India’s Longest Elevated Highway; Travel Time To Drop To 45 Minutes
Pune-Shirur To Get India’s Longest Elevated Highway; Travel Time To Drop To 45 Minutes
In a major push to Maharashtra’s road infrastructure, the state government has accelerated plans for the country’s longest elevated highway connecting Pune and Shirur. The massive project is expected to ease traffic congestion on one of the state’s busiest industrial routes while improving connectivity to Ahilyanagar, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, and the Marathwada region.
The proposed elevated corridor will span 35.12 kilometres, making it the longest elevated highway in India. In addition, the existing Pune-Shirur road will be expanded into a six-lane highway. After completion, travel time between Pune and Shirur is likely to reduce to around 45 minutes, bringing major relief to daily commuters, freight operators, and industrial transport vehicles.
The overall project length will be 53.4 kilometres, with the elevated stretch accounting for over 35 kilometres. The estimated cost of the project stands at nearly ₹7,300 crore, and the work will be carried out under the Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) model. Officials expect the project to be completed within the next four years.
The Pune-Shirur corridor is considered one of Maharashtra’s most important transport routes due to heavy industrial activity and increasing traffic volume. Thousands of private vehicles, trucks, buses, and cargo carriers use the route every day, leading to severe traffic jams and delays, particularly during peak hours and festive periods.
Officials stated that widening the existing road through traditional methods had become difficult because of rapid urbanisation, commercial development, and dense residential growth along the highway. To avoid large-scale land acquisition and minimise displacement, the government opted for an elevated road solution.
According to the Maharashtra State Infrastructure Development Corporation (MSIDC), nearly 80 percent of the required land is already available, helping speed up approvals and planning. The proposal had received approval from the state cabinet’s infrastructure committee in December last year.
The project was initially under the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) before being transferred to the Maharashtra government for execution. MSIDC has now finalised the tender process and issued work orders to the selected construction agency.
Authorities believe the elevated highway will become a landmark infrastructure project for Maharashtra by strengthening road connectivity between Pune and eastern parts of the state. Improved transport efficiency is also expected to support trade, logistics, and industrial growth across the region.
The Pune-Shirur industrial belt has witnessed rapid expansion over the past decade, including warehousing hubs, logistics parks, manufacturing units, IT parks, and residential developments. Experts say the improved highway network could attract further investments and reduce transportation delays and fuel costs for businesses.
Officials have also confirmed that the proposed Ramwadi-Wagholi Metro extension will run along the same corridor. In some stretches, double-decker structures may be developed to accommodate both the metro line and the elevated highway simultaneously.
Frequent commuters on the Pune-Shirur route have welcomed the project, citing long traffic jams, accident-prone stretches, and unpredictable travel times as major concerns. Urban planning experts also believe the corridor could reduce traffic pressure within Pune city while helping lower fuel wastage and vehicular pollution caused by congestion.
However, experts have stressed the need for proper drainage systems, traffic planning, and sustainable urban development alongside such large-scale infrastructure projects to avoid future challenges.
Key Highlights Of The Project:
- Total project length: 53.4 km
- Elevated highway stretch: 35.12 km
- Highway widening: 18.2 km
- Estimated project cost: ₹7,300 crore
- Completion timeline: 4 years
- Pune-Shirur travel time: Around 45 minutes
- Execution model: Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT)
