Mumbai–Pune Expressway’s Missing Link 95% Complete; Travel Time To Drop By 30 Minutes By August 2025

The much-awaited 'Missing Link' project on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway is now 95 per cent complete, announced Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Monday. The work is in its final stage, and the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) has confirmed that the project will cut travel time between Mumbai and Pune by around 30 minutes.

Mumbai-Pune Expressway: New Deadline

According to government sources quoted in The Indian Express, the new target to finish the project is August 2025. The construction began in March 2019 and was initially expected to be finished by March 2024. However, delays pushed the deadline first to January 2025, then to March 2025, and now to August 2025.

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The total cost of the project is estimated at Rs 6,600 crore.

Mumbai-Pune Expressway: Missing Link

The 'Missing Link' is a 5.7-kilometre straight stretch that will connect the Khopoli exit and Sinhgad Institute directly. Right now, vehicles must travel a winding 19.8-kilometre route through the hilly regions of Khandala and Lonavala to reach between these two points.

The new route includes a tunnel and a viaduct that will significantly cut down the distance and time.

Mumbai-Pune Expressway: Features

This engineering project includes some impressive features:

1. A 1.75-kilometre tunnel and an 840-metre viaduct
2. A 650-metre-long cable-stayed bridge, standing 180 metres above the Khandala Valley
3. An 8.9-kilometre tunnel, with part of it passing below Lonavala Lake

Asia's widest tunnels, measuring 23.3 metres wide, with four lanes and an emergency lane

Once completed, the new stretch will offer a faster and safer route for vehicles, especially heavy transport, bypassing the steep and curvy ghat section.

Relief For Commuters

The 'Missing Link' is expected to bring huge relief to thousands of daily travellers and cargo transporters. It will help reduce traffic jams and improve safety on one of India's busiest highways.