‘New Pune’ Near Purandar Airport? Nitin Gadkari Suggests Navi Mumbai-Style Expansion
Pune, 20th July 2026: With Pune witnessing rapid urban expansion and mounting traffic congestion, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari on Sunday suggested that the Maharashtra government consider developing a “New Pune” near the upcoming Purandar International Airport, on the lines of Navi Mumbai, to accommodate the city’s future growth.
Speaking at a function held at Ganesh Kala Krida Manch, Gadkari said Pune’s rising population was placing immense pressure on the city’s road network and civic infrastructure.
“Cities such as Pune will have to limit population growth. Otherwise, no matter how many roads and bridges are constructed, it will become difficult to even move on the roads in the future,” he said.
The Union minister said road infrastructure projects worth nearly ₹50,000 crore in and around Pune, being implemented by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), are expected to gather momentum over the next year. Once completed, these projects are expected to ease traffic congestion, reduce travel time and lower vehicular pollution.
Gadkari also said that several upcoming highway projects around Pune would incorporate advanced bridge construction technology used in Malaysia. While the Indian Roads Congress (IRC) norms generally prescribe a 30-metre distance between bridge pillars, the new technology would allow spans of up to 120 metres, reducing the number of pillars required and bringing down construction costs.
He added that several transport corridors would be developed as three-tier structures, featuring a surface road at ground level, a flyover above it and a Metro corridor at the top to optimise land use in densely populated urban areas.
The Union minister further announced that the tender for the first phase of a new Pune–Mumbai Expressway would be floated within the next three months. The proposed expressway will connect to the road leading to the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT). He also said work on the Thane–Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar highway, which will be linked to Ahilyanagar, is expected to begin soon.
Recalling the contribution of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, Gadkari said the senior leader had played a key role in securing state-level tax concessions for major flyover projects in Pune during his tenure as Maharashtra’s finance minister. According to Gadkari, the state’s decision to provide relief on taxes related to construction materials helped accelerate several key infrastructure projects connecting Pune with Ahilyanagar, Solapur and the Talegaon–Shirur corridor.
