Potholes Appear on Newly Opened Mumbai-Pune Expressway Missing Link, Raising Quality Concerns
Pune/Mumbai, 4th July 2026: Barely two months after the inauguration of the Mumbai-Pune Expressway’s Missing Link, potholes have surfaced on the newly constructed carriageway near the cable-stayed bridge, triggering concerns over the quality of the work.
The potholes were noticed near the expansion joints of the cable-stayed bridge after heavy rainfall on Thursday. The incident has prompted motorists to question the durability of the multi-crore project, with many expressing concern over the safety of high-speed travel on the stretch during the monsoon.
The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) officials confirmed that two potholes had developed on one carriageway of the Missing Link due to heavy rain.
“After the issue came to our notice, the contractor and MSRDC officials were immediately instructed to carry out repairs. The potholes have since been repaired on priority,” an MSRDC official said.
The 13.3-km Missing Link project was constructed to bypass the accident-prone Bor Ghat section of the expressway and is expected to reduce travel time between Mumbai and Pune by 25 to 30 minutes.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis inaugurated the project on Maharashtra Day in the presence of Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Sunetra Pawar.
The appearance of potholes so soon after the project’s inauguration has once again brought the quality of construction under scrutiny. Commuters have also raised concerns about the safety of the expressway, especially during the ongoing monsoon, when vehicles travel at high speeds on the newly opened stretch.
