MSRDC wants to transform Pune-Mumbai Expressway into 10-lane ‘superhighway'
"This is an upgrade from our earlier proposal to make the expressway an eight-lane facility. The latest upgrade will cost around Rs1,420 crore. The DPR is being finalised and will be submitted to govt for approval," Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) vice-chairman and managing director Anilkumar Gaikwad told TOI on Friday.
Inaugurated in 2002, the expressway is a 94.6-km stretch connecting the bustling metropolis of Mumbai to Pune, Maharashtra's industrial and educational hub.
It currently carries an estimated 65,000 vehicles daily during weekdays. The number increases to over 100,000 during weekends. With traffic volume increasing by approximately 5-6% on a year-on-year basis, the MSRDC's proposed expansion is seen as a long-term solution to the congestion.
The latest project involves widening of the current infrastructure. While the construction cost is expected to be around Rs8,440 crore, the overall average cost of the project will be Rs 14,260 crore.
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"Instead of seeking funds from govt, we will bank on toll collection," Gaikwad said. The financing model — whether Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) or annuity — is yet to be decided.
The current toll collection for the Pune-Mumbai Expressway is valid till 2045. MSRDC would seek an extension if the expressway widening gets approval to make the project self-sustaining.
At present, the journey between Mumbai and Pune takes about two hours under normal conditions.
However, weekend rush hours and holiday traffic can stretch that drive by an additional hour. According to MSRDC, the proposed expansion could virtually eliminate this extended travel time, offering smoother rides even during peak periods.
If approved and executed as envisioned, the expansion could become one of India's most ambitious road infrastructure upgrades — a critical step toward matching the country's rapid growth in vehicle ownership with high-capacity transit corridors, an MSRDC official said.
MLA Mahesh Landge has in a social media post recently said the expansion would ensure necessary respite from traffic congestion on the e-way. "This is a long-awaited demand. The expansion is needed considering the heavy traffic along the e-way," he told TOI.
People frequently travelling on the e-way are of the view that the state govt should not delay in the expansion work and carry out the project in phases to ensure that there was no traffic congestion.
"Frequent traffic snarls are becoming an impediment for travellers. The expansion proposal should be immediately cleared and work should commence," said Manisha Khandekar, a frequent traveller.
The expressway — which begins at Kalamboli in Navi Mumbai and ends at Kiwale near Pune — is India's first access-controlled express highway. While work on the 13-km "missing link" project is on, which will facilitate 10 lanes in the Khandala Ghat section, the proposed expansion would cover the remaining 67km of the route.
According to MSRDC, land acquisition challenges were expected to be minimal. "MSRDC already holds land adjacent to most parts of the existing expressway. Only limited additional land near tunnels will be needed. These land parcels are near the tunnel zones," said an official involved with the project.
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