Legislative Council Panel Reviews Khopoli–Kusgaon Missing Link Project on Mumbai–Pune Expressway

Lonavala, 21st August 2025: The Legislative Council Committee on Public Enterprises on Thursday reviewed the progress of the much-awaited Khopoli–Kusgaon Missing Link on the Mumbai–Pune Expressway. The meeting was chaired by MLA Rahul Kul, Chairman of the committee, in the presence of several former and current members.

Senior officials of the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), including Managing Director Anil Kumar Gaikwad, Joint Managing Director Manuj Jindal, and Superintendent Engineer Rahulaikar, briefed the committee on the status of the project.

As part of the missing link, the expressway will feature one of the largest road tunnels in the world, with a capacity of 99 classes and a width of 23 meters. Additionally, a 185-meter-long bridge is being constructed under the project, which officials described as one of the largest bridge works of its kind. Authorities stated that these developments will significantly reduce travel time and enhance safety and comfort for commuters on the busy Mumbai–Pune route.

According to MSRDC, nearly 90 percent of the construction work has already been completed, and the project has now entered its final stage. “The missing link will soon be ready, and once operational, it will resolve congestion and make travel smoother for millions of motorists,” officials said in their presentation.

Committee members, cutting across party lines, acknowledged the quality and speed of the work being undertaken. The project even drew praise from opposition representatives, who noted that the execution had been carried out “efficiently and effectively.”

Among those present at the meeting were Subhash Deshmukh, Nilesh Rane, MLA Bhimrao Tapkir, MLA Hemant Ogle, Milind Narvekar, MLA Varun Sardesai, and Rais Sheikh, along with the committee chairman Rahul Dada Kul.