A 35-kilometre, six-lane Chakan-Talegaon alternative road being developed by the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) is expected to open to traffic by the end of 2026, according to officials. The route is intended to divert traffic from the congested Talegaon-Chakan-Shikrapur road and connect the Pune-Nashik Highway directly with the old Mumbai-Pune Highway.
The alternative road will begin near the Bhama River on the Pune-Nashik Highway and pass through Chakan MIDC Phase 5, Chakan Phase 2, Talegaon Phase 2 and Talegaon Phase 1 before joining the old Pune-Mumbai Highway. MIDC Executive Engineer Prakash Bhandange said traffic travelling from Nashik towards Mumbai would be able to use the new route instead of the existing main road.
The Talegaon-Chakan-Shikrapur road is currently the principal connection serving the two industrial areas. It is a two-lane road with a stated capacity of 10,000 passenger vehicles a day, while 31,197 passenger vehicles are reportedly using it daily. The road also carries substantial heavy-vehicle traffic generated by the industrial estates.
According to the report, the existing road is 26.30 kilometres long and takes between one and a half and two hours to travel between Chakan and Talegaon because of congestion, its narrow width and its deteriorating surface. The planned alternative route is 35 kilometres long, with a stated travel time of about 45 minutes between the two industrial areas.
MIDC officials said construction of the alternative road is progressing rapidly, although land acquisition is still under way at some locations. MIDC Superintendent Engineer Nilesh Modhve said efforts were being made to complete the land acquisition process as soon as possible and open the road before the end of the year.
The project is being undertaken as both industrial areas have expanded substantially in recent years alongside increased industrialisation and urbanisation. The resulting growth in vehicle numbers has placed additional pressure on the single main road serving the Chakan and Talegaon zones.
Dilip Batwal, chief executive officer of the Federation of Chakan Industries, said the alternative road could reduce traffic on the existing route by 30 to 35 per cent. The reduction, he said, would help ease congestion on the main road.
The current project timeline and the expected traffic diversion remain dependent on completion of the remaining land acquisition and construction work. MIDC has planned to open the alternative road for traffic by the end of 2026.
