₹15,000 Crore Greenfield Expressway To Cut Mumbai-Pune Travel Time To 90 Minutes, Boost ‘Third Mumbai’ Development

Pune, May 27, 2026: The Maharashtra government has officially announced its policy for the development of “Third Mumbai,” a large-scale urban expansion project expected to significantly benefit the proposed New Mumbai-Pune Greenfield Expressway.

The ambitious project will cover 323.44 square kilometres, covering 124 villages in Uran, Panvel, and Pen talukas near the Atal Setu influence zone. Officials believe the new high-speed corridor planned by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) will become the backbone of the upcoming urban and industrial hub.

According to reports, the proposed expressway will directly pass through the Third Mumbai region, providing major connectivity benefits to industries, logistics parks, data centres, and commercial developments planned in the area.

The Maharashtra government aims to develop Third Mumbai as a pollution-free economic hub focused on IT, artificial intelligence, data centres, and world-class logistics infrastructure. Experts say the new expressway will play a crucial role in accelerating industrial growth and attracting large-scale investments.

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has reportedly allocated around ₹4,000 crore for infrastructure development in the region. Global investment groups, including Blackstone, have also shown interest in investing billions of dollars in the area. 

Real estate experts predict that land and property prices in locations such as Ulwe, Dronagiri, Kharghar, Panvel, and Chirner-Sai could rise by 25 to 30 percent in the coming years due to the infrastructure push and improved connectivity.

Route Details of the New Expressway

The proposed Greenfield Expressway will be built using modern high-speed standards and is expected to provide seamless travel between Mumbai and Pune.

The route will reportedly:
• Begin near Atal Setu and the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) area in Navi Mumbai
• Connect towards Chowk in Raigad district
• Pass through tunnels and elevated bridges across the Sahyadri ranges
• Finally link near Shirke village on the Pune Ring Road corridor

Key Features of the Project

The NHAI has already initiated the tender process for the new greenfield expressway project between Navi Mumbai and Pune. The project is estimated to cost around ₹15,000 crore and will stretch approximately 130 kilometres.

Once completed, the expressway is expected to reduce Mumbai-Pune travel time to nearly 90 minutes.

Major Benefits Expected

The project is expected to:
• Improve direct connectivity to the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport
• Speed up cargo and logistics transportation
• Reduce travel time and fuel costs
• Boost industrial and commercial growth in western Maharashtra
• Strengthen connectivity between ports, airports, warehouses, and data centres
• Support future urban expansion and economic development across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region

Experts believe the project could become a major milestone in Maharashtra’s long-term infrastructure and economic growth strategy.