MSRDC Plans Widening Of Mumbai-Pune Expressway To Eight Lanes; Proposal Awaits Government Approval
Pune, 15th April 2025: As work on the ambitious ‘missing link’ project of the Mumbai-Pune Expressway nears completion, the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) has proposed widening the expressway from six lanes to eight. This expansion aims to address the growing traffic load and improve travel efficiency along one of the busiest highways in the country.
To carry out the proposed eight-lane expansion across a 70-kilometre stretch of the expressway, MSRDC has estimated a requirement of around 100 hectares of additional land. However, the project is currently awaiting approval at the state government level. Once sanctioned, the widened expressway will significantly boost the road’s vehicle-handling capacity.
The Mumbai-Pune Expressway spans approximately 94 kilometres and sees thousands of vehicles traversing it daily. With increasing traffic volumes and rising congestion on the current six-lane infrastructure, MSRDC has deemed the widening project essential.
Meanwhile, work on the 13.3-kilometre ‘missing link’ between Khopoli Exit and Kusgaon is progressing rapidly. This alternative route includes two tunnels measuring 1.67 kilometres and 8.92 kilometres, both of which have already been completed. Construction is also underway on Asia’s largest valley bridge, a key component of the project.
In addition, the stretch from Khalapur Toll to Khopoli Exit is already being developed as an eight-lane road. MSRDC plans to extend this expansion from Urse Toll onwards, ensuring a seamless eight-lane corridor throughout the expressway and enabling faster, uninterrupted travel between Mumbai and Pune.
Officials confirmed that while the planning is in place, the final go-ahead from the state government is crucial to initiate land acquisition and construction for the full-scale expansion.
