Maharashtra is embarking on a major road infrastructure overhaul, with expressway projects expected to significantly reduce travel times between key cities, enhance freight logistics, and ease urban congestion. The central government has approved a Rs 1.5 lakh crore initiative, encompassing multiple corridors including a second Mumbai–Pune Expressway, elevated corridors in Pune, and a greenfield Pune–Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar link.
The Mumbai–Pune Expressway II, spanning 130 kilometres at an estimated cost of Rs 15,000 crore, will run parallel to the existing corridor. Industry experts note that the new expressway could cut travel time from 2.5–3 hours to just 90 minutes, particularly through the congested ghat sections. “This corridor is designed to improve regional mobility and reduce bottlenecks for both daily commuters and commercial transport,” an official said. The initial phase connecting Pagote near JNPA to Chowk in Panvel has already received formal approval.
Beyond the Mumbai–Pune route, planners anticipate that the upgraded expressway network will reduce travel from Mumbai to Bengaluru via Pune to approximately 5.5 hours. Analysts suggest this will accelerate business travel, tourism, and inter-city commerce across western and southern India, while enabling more efficient emergency response and logistics operations. A separate Rs 16,318 crore project proposes a new greenfield expressway between Pune and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, potentially reducing travel time to around two hours. Authorities are evaluating two alignments: one via Ahilyanagar and another through Shikrapur in Beed district. This corridor would also improve connectivity from Sambhajinagar to Nagpur, cutting travel times to 2.5–3 hours, thereby supporting regional economic integration.
Within Pune district, nearly Rs 50,000 crore has been earmarked for infrastructure development. Key projects include the Talegaon–Chakan–Shikrapur Elevated Corridor (Rs 4,207 crore) and the Hadapsar–Yavat Elevated Road, which will integrate roads, flyovers, and metro lines. These corridors aim to facilitate faster urban and intercity movement while incorporating space-efficient designs that align with sustainable urban planning principles.
To bolster freight connectivity and port access, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) will construct a 15-km link road between Morbe and Kalamboli, connecting the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway directly to JNPA. This Rs 9,000 crore project complements the ongoing Maharashtra segment of the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, slated for completion by 2026. Construction for the approved projects is expected to commence in 2026. Urban planners highlight that while these expressways will significantly enhance mobility, integrating sustainable design practices, green corridors, and equitable access will be critical to creating a resilient and low-carbon transportation network.
Mumbai Approves Rs 150000 Crore Expressway Projects Cutting Pune Bengaluru Travel Times
