Mumbai–Pune Expressway Traffic Update: Heavy Congestion Near Khandala Ghat Slows Pune-Bound Vehicles

Heavy traffic slowed movement on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway on Thursday, February 26, as vehicles crawled near the Khandala Ghat on the Pune-bound side. Motorists reported long queues and delays, with navigation apps marking the route in red, signalling serious congestion and at least one crash on the stretch.

Google Maps showed heavy traffic on the Yashwantrao Chavan Expressway, the official name of the Mumbai-Pune Expressway corridor. The map indicated slow-moving vehicles and flagged an accident on the route, pointing to a likely collision adding to the bottleneck near the ghat section.

Mumbai-Pune Expressway Traffic Jam: Video From Khandala Ghat Raises Concern

A video posted by verified X handle NextMinute News drew attention to the situation, showing a dense line of vehicles. Cars, trucks and other vehicles appeared nearly stationary in the clip, reportedly stuck for hours on the Pune-bound lane close to Khandala Ghat. However, LokmatTimes.com stated that the footage itself remains unverified.

The user described a long queue stretching for several kilometres, echoing complaints from regular commuters on this key inter-city route. The expressway links Mumbai with Pune and sees heavy use by office commuters, tourists and freight operators, meaning any traffic jam quickly affects a wide range of road users.

Traffic Jam Revives Focus on 'Missing Link' Project

The congestion has once again turned attention to the under-construction Missing Link project, planned to bypass the steep Khandala-Lonavala ghat section. The new alignment between Khopoli and Kusgaon is designed to take over this winding climb, which has long remained a choke point on the busy expressway.

According to an official from the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), work on the cable-stayed bridge portion is nearly complete, with only 15 metres pending on the Mumbai-bound corridor and 6 metres on the Pune-bound corridor.

Trial runs are scheduled for April, while the formal launch is expected on May 1, 2026, subject to final completion.

Once operational, the Missing Link is expected to shorten the present 19.8 km distance between Khopoli and Kusgaon by over 6 km. Travel time through this stretch is projected to reduce by around 25 to 30 minutes, particularly helping vehicles that now slow sharply on the steep ghat road.

While the February 26 jam underlined the strain on the current Khandala-Lonavala section, agencies are focusing on completing the new link. Officials hope that once the bypass opens after testing, pressure on the existing ghat road will ease, reducing both congestion and travel time on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway.