The proposal for eight-laning the Mumbai-Pune Expressway has been awaiting the state government's approval for a year. The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) sent the eight-laning proposal to the state government for approval in February 2024. However, the eight-laning has been delayed as this proposal has not yet been approved.
The 94.5 km Mumbai-Pune Expressway has made it possible to travel from Mumbai to Pune in just two and a half hours. This highway, which was opened for traffic in 2002, has become the most important expressway in the state today. More than 1.5 lakh vehicles ply on this highway every day. But now, traffic congestion has started on this highway and considering the increasing number of vehicles in the future, this highway will be inadequate to accommodate the increasing number of vehicles.
The issue of accidents on the highway is also serious. Keeping these factors in mind, the MSRDC has decided to construct the Missing Link on one hand and to make the highway eight-lane on the other. As per this decision, the Missing Link project has been initiated and the Missing Link will be opened for traffic in the coming days. If this missing link is opened to traffic, it will save 30 minutes in the Mumbai-Pune travel time. Although the missing link project is underway, the eight-laning is still awaited. Taking the decision to eight-laner the highway, MSRDC prepared a proposal in this regard. This proposal was sent to the state government for final approval in February 2024.
A year has passed since the proposal for an eight-lane highway was sent to the state government. However, the proposal has not been approved yet. When senior officials of MSRDC were asked about it, they said that the proposal is awaiting approval and the project will be launched after the proposal is approved. Overall, there is a picture of the eight-part process being stalled due to delays in getting the proposal approved.
Cost of INR 6080 crores
Since it will be necessary to widen the highway in the future, MSRDC has already acquired one lane of land on both sides of the highway. This will make it easier to make it eight-laned. However, although there is land acquired for widening of roads and bridges, there is no land for widening of tunnels, i.e., for constructing new tunnels next to the existing tunnels.
The MSRDC is making efforts to acquire this land. New tunnels are being constructed under this project at Kamshet, Madap and Bhatan. Widening of Adoshi and Khandala tunnels is underway under the ‘Missing Lane’ project. As a result, approximately 76 km of the 94.5 km highway will be eight-laned. The estimated cost of this eight-lane development is INR 6080 crore.
To raise funds for the project, MSRDC has also prepared a financial model under the eight-lane development proposal. Accordingly, the MSRDC has presented two options to the state government: either the state government should make this fund available through budgetary provision or extend the deadline for toll collection on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway. The eight-lane development will be implemented according to the option chosen by the state government. Therefore, MSRDC is paying attention to when the state government approves the eight-lane development proposal and which option it chooses to raise funds.
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