2 weeks Ago By Nisha Nambiar
Pune: The proposed widening of the Mumbai-Pune Expressway has been put on hold temporarily with the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) deciding to prioritise other infrastructure projects amid funding constraints, senior MSRDC officials said after the end of budget assembly session on Wednesday. The proposal was not even discussed in the meeting. "While the Mumbai-Pune Expressway expansion remains crucial, we are currently focusing on the Pune Ring Road (Rs 43,000 crore) and Jalna-Nanded Expressway projects (Rs 24,703).
The construction of nine creek bridges (Rs 9,000 crore) in the Konkan region is the other project that we are very keen on," a senior MSRDC official told TOI. The proposed widening works, estimated to cost Rs 6,000 crore, would require approximately 100 hectares of land and an estimated three-year construction period. In contrast, Pune Ring Road and Jalna-Nanded Expressway projects are expected to cost about Rs 68,000 crore together.
The proposed expressway expansion would have transformed the critical 94km corridor from six to eight lanes. "The need for expansion was first identified in 2002 when the expressway was originally completed. With increasing vehicle movement between Mumbai and Pune, the project has become more critical than ever.
Fund constraints are, however, delaying the proposal," the official said. Sources within MSRDC said while the project remained on their radar, its implementation timeline remained uncertain. "We are carefully balancing multiple infrastructure needs against limited financial resources," the official said.
Transport experts suggested that the delay could exacerbate existing traffic challenges on one of Maharashtra's busiest corridors. "Each year of delay compounds the infrastructure strain," said an urban mobility consultant. The expressway has recorded several accidents, besides traffic jams.
"The exponential growth of vehicles demands proactive infrastructure planning," Megha Shimpi, a regular commuter, said. GRAPHIC The Mumbai-Pune Expressway, spanning 94 kilometres, is an access-controlled expressway This expressway, consisting of six lanes, was built in 2002 The traffic volume between Mumbai and Pune has experienced a substantial rise in recent years. Consequently, the existing six-lane road, with three lanes in each direction, is proving to be insufficient Currently, around 1,50,000 vehicles commute on the expressway daily.
The recently built Atal Setu has reduced the distance between Mumbai and Pune, potentially leading to a rise in traffic between the two cities. In light of this, MSRDC plans to extend the Mumbai-Pune Expressway Stay updated with the latest city news , Air Quality Index (AQI), and weather updates for major cities like Delhi , Mumbai , Noida , and Bangalore on Times of India ..
