Pune–Mumbai Expressway Missing Link Likely to Open in May 2026: MSRDC
Lonavala, 7th February 2026: The much-awaited Missing Link project on the Pune–Mumbai Expressway is likely to open to traffic in May. However, delays in completing the cable-stayed bridge continue to cause severe congestion, a situation highlighted by a recent 32-hour traffic jam after a gas tanker overturned at Adoshi.
According to the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), most of the 13.3-km Missing Link between the Khopoli exit and Kusgaon is complete. However, work on the cable-stayed bridge—Asia’s tallest at 130 metres—has faced technical challenges and is now expected to be finished by April.
The stretch from the Adoshi tunnel to the Khandala exit is especially prone to congestion, as traffic from ten lanes merges into six lanes amid steep gradients and landslide-prone terrain. During the monsoon, one Mumbai-bound lane often remains closed, further worsening traffic flow.
The Missing Link project is designed to provide an alternative to the six-km winding Bor Ghat stretch. It includes an eight-lane road with two tunnels and two viaducts. A one-km tunnel for Mumbai–Pune traffic and a nine-km tunnel for Pune–Mumbai traffic have already been completed.
With slab work on the 645-metre-long cable-stayed bridge nearing completion, commuters may have to endure traffic bottlenecks for a few more months before relief arrives.
