Between two cities that never sleep, the highway that binds them may soon grow broader to carry the weight of tomorrow.
Expansion Plan Enters Final Technical Review
The Maharashtra government’s proposal to expand the Pune–Mumbai Expressway into a 10-lane superhighway is currently undergoing an independent technical evaluation before it is placed before the state cabinet for approval.
Senior officials from the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) confirmed that the project proposal is being reviewed by Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute (VJTI), which has been tasked with conducting a third-party assessment of the project’s technical feasibility and design structure.
According to officials, the evaluation will serve as the final technical review before the proposal is presented to the cabinet’s infrastructure committee, chaired by the chief minister.
“The third-party assessment will be the final technical and feasibility review before the cabinet consideration. Once the cabinet clears it, the work can begin. Its implementation will take about four years,” a senior official of MSRDC was quoted as saying.
The detailed project report outlining the expansion was submitted earlier this month. It proposes upgrading the existing 94.6-kilometre access-controlled corridor from its current eight lanes to ten lanes to accommodate growing traffic demands.
Rs 16,000 Crore Upgrade to Boost Key Transport Corridor
Officials said the current plan represents an upgrade from an earlier proposal that considered expanding the expressway to eight lanes.
“This is an upgrade from our earlier eight-lane proposal. The 10-lane project will cost around Rs16,000 crore. The land acquisition cost pegged is at approximately Rs200 crore,” the official said.
The expressway is one of Maharashtra’s most critical road corridors, linking the major urban centres of Pune and Mumbai. Over the years, traffic volumes on the route have increased significantly due to rapid urbanisation, industrial growth and rising vehicle ownership.
Authorities believe the proposed widening will help improve traffic flow, reduce congestion and enhance overall safety for commuters travelling between the two cities.
Once the technical review is completed and the cabinet grants approval, construction is expected to begin soon after, with the entire project likely to take around four years to finish.
As the highway stretches wider through the Western Ghats, it mirrors the growing rhythm of a state always on the move.
Summary
The Maharashtra government’s plan to widen the Pune–Mumbai Expressway into a 10-lane highway is undergoing a final technical evaluation by VJTI. The Rs16,000 crore project aims to upgrade the 94.6-km corridor to handle rising traffic. After the review, the proposal will be presented to the state cabinet, and if approved, construction could take around four years.
