₹30,000-Crore Projects Unveiled by Nitin Gadkari to Cut Travel Time, Ease Congestion, and Boost Infrastructure Across Pune District
A Second Mumbai–Pune Expressway to Ease Congestion
To address growing traffic on one of India’s busiest corridors, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has announced a new 130-km Mumbai–Pune Expressway, projected to cost ₹15,000 crore.
- The new road will start from Atal Setu near JNPA and end at Shivare Junction in Pune.
- Phase one—Pagote to Chowk near Panvel—has already been approved.
- Once complete, the route will reduce travel time between Mumbai and Pune to 90 minutes.
- It will also shorten the Mumbai–Pune–Bengaluru drive to just 5.5 hours.
This second expressway is expected to be built to international standards, enhancing safety, speed, and logistics flow across Western India.
Pune–Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Greenfield Expressway
The infrastructure push also includes a new greenfield expressway between Pune and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, with a project cost of ₹16,318 crore.
- Designed to cut travel time to two hours, it promises to unlock better regional connectivity.
- Two alignments have been proposed:
- Route 1: Via Pune–Ahilyanagar–Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.
- Route 2: Starting at Shikrapur, bypassing Ahilyanagar, and passing through Beed district.
- Once operational, travel from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar to Nagpur could take just 2.5 to 3 hours, a massive time-saving for commuters and cargo movement alike.
Pune District Gets ₹50,000 Crore Boost
Of the ₹1.5 lakh crore allocated to Maharashtra’s road infrastructure for the next year, ₹50,000 crore will be invested in Pune district alone.
- Projects will begin within three months, marking one of the region’s biggest infrastructure expansions.
- Gadkari emphasized that this investment would transform Pune into a major logistics and transport hub.
Talegaon–Chakan–Shikrapur Elevated Corridor
A standout among Pune’s new projects is the Talegaon–Chakan–Shikrapur elevated corridor, an ambitious four-tier transport system.
- Estimated at ₹4,207 crore, this includes:
- A ground-level road.
- Two elevated flyovers.
- A metro rail line on the top tier.
- The tender process is complete, and the foundation stone will be laid soon.
This integrated structure is set to ease urban traffic congestion and improve multimodal connectivity across Pune’s industrial belt.
Broader Impact on Maharashtra’s Development
These expressways and elevated corridors are not just infrastructure; they represent a paradigm shift in regional connectivity and economic development:
- Reduced travel times will boost tourism, business, and freight efficiency.
- Better regional integration will support industrial growth, especially across Pune, Beed, Nagpur, and Mumbai.
- Gadkari’s announcements are a part of India’s larger highway modernization agenda, aiming to make transit faster, safer, and more sustainable.
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has unveiled ₹30,000 crore worth of expressway projects for Maharashtra, including a second Mumbai–Pune Expressway and a Pune–Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar corridor. These developments aim to reduce travel time, boost infrastructure in Pune, and enhance connectivity across the state.
