Mumbai-Pune Expressway’s Missing Link Road To Speed Up Journey To Navi Mumbai Airport

International travellers and commuters between Pune and Mumbai have much to look forward to as the Pune-Mumbai Expressway's new link road nears completion.

The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) has confirmed that 90 per cent of the work on the "missing link" road is complete, with civil works largely finalised. This link road is set to significantly reduce travel time to the Navi Mumbai International Airport, expected to open in April 2025, according to a Swarajya report.

According to Rakesh Sonawane, Executive Engineer at MSRDC, the new link road will cut travel time between Pune and Mumbai by at least 30 minutes. Currently, the 160-kilometre journey from Pune to Mumbai's existing international airport takes about four hours. The Navi Mumbai International Airport, 120 kilometres from Pune, will reduce this to around two-and-a-half hours. With the new link road bypassing the congested Lonavala town, travel time could drop further to just two hours, reports Financial Express.

The Rs 6,595-crore project aims to shorten the Pune-Mumbai Expressway by 6.5 kilometres, bypassing a 19.8-kilometre stretch from Khopoli to Kusgaon. Key features of the project include two tunnels spanning 1.7 kilometres, two cable bridges measuring 840 metres and 650 metres, and an 8.9-kilometre hillside stretch. Safety features include emergency medical services and an Intelligent Traffic Management System (ITMS).

The road is designed to eliminate steep slopes and sharp turns in the Lonavala ghat section, turning it into a "zero fatality corridor." Despite delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and complex construction, the project is set to meet its completion deadline of June 2025, shortly after the airport's expected opening.

This new link road is expected to enhance regional connectivity, support the Navi Mumbai International Airport, and significantly boost travel and economic activities across the region.