Pune-Mumbai Expressway Widening to Get Cabinet Approval Soon

Pune, 19th December 2024: The long-awaited proposal to widen the Pune-Mumbai Expressway is set to receive approval from the Maharashtra state cabinet in the coming two months, according to officials. The expansion plan aims to increase the 94-km expressway from its current six lanes (three in each direction) to eight lanes to ease traffic congestion.

The proposal, which was submitted last year, was delayed due to the state elections. “All the necessary recommendations from stakeholders are in place now, and we expect the cabinet to approve the project shortly. It’s unlikely to be delayed any further,” a senior official from the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) said on Wednesday.

To alleviate the mounting traffic pressure, authorities plan to add one more lane in each direction, a move that will require approximately 100 hectares of additional land. The expansion will also involve constructing eight tunnels, four on each side of the expressway, at locations like Madap, Bhatan, and Kamshet.

The widening project will be carried out in two phases and is expected to be completed within three years of receiving approval, according to MSRDC officials. The estimated cost for land acquisition and construction is pegged at Rs 5,000 crore.

The Pune-Mumbai Expressway, which opened in 2002, currently accommodates around 60,000-70,000 vehicles daily in each direction, with the number spiking to 90,000 on weekends. “The widening proposal comes 21 years after the expressway was first opened to the public. Since then, vehicular traffic has been increasing at an annual rate of 5%,” said another MSRDC official.

The proposal was initially discussed during the winter session of the state assembly last year, and MSRDC has since been working on finalizing the details. Now, after nearly a year, officials are hopeful that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis will push for the project’s speedy execution. Once the government approves the project, MSRDC anticipates that Rs 2,500 crore will be allocated for the first phase of construction.

With traffic volumes steadily rising, the widening of the Pune-Mumbai Expressway is seen as an urgent necessity for improving the flow of vehicles and enhancing road safety for thousands of daily commuters.