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Mumbai-Pune Expressway's 'Missing Link' Opens!
30 Apr
Summary
- The 13.3-km Missing Link bypasses congested Lonavala-Khandala ghats.
- New eight-lane bypass cuts travel time by 30 minutes.
- Expressway to be widened to 10 lanes from existing six.
A significant upgrade for Maharashtra's busy Mumbai-Pune Expressway, the 13.3-km 'Missing Link,' opened on May 1, 2026. This crucial eight-lane bypass connects Khopoli to Kusgaon, bypassing the notoriously congested Lonavala-Khandala ghat section. The new stretch is anticipated to reduce travel time by nearly 30 minutes and shorten the journey by about six kilometers. This development is vital for improving traffic flow on a corridor that currently handles approximately 1.5 lakh vehicles daily.
The 'Missing Link' project incorporates impressive engineering feats, including two twin tunnels measuring 1.68 km and 8.87 km, and a 650-meter cable-stayed bridge standing 182 meters high. To further enhance capacity and prepare for increased traffic, especially with the impending full operation of Navi Mumbai International Airport, the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) is planning to widen the existing six-lane expressway to 10 lanes. This expansion will require acquiring around 100 hectares of land and is estimated to cost over ₹5,000 crore, with work expected to commence after the monsoon and take up to five years.
The Mumbai-Pune Expressway, opened in 2000, was a response to the limitations of the older National Highway 4. The original 94.6-km expressway was built in 27 months to handle a growing volume of traffic. Despite its advancements, congestion points near the Khalapur toll plaza and the Khandala section persisted, issues now expected to be resolved by the 'Missing Link' bypass.
