Mumbai Pune Bengaluru Expressway Underway To Slash Travel Time To Six Hours
Work on the ambitious Mumbai-Pune-Bengaluru high-speed expressway has begun, promising to slash travel time between the three cities and enhance economic connectivity across western and southern India. Officials confirmed that the Rs 40,000 crore greenfield project is already underway, marking a key milestone in India’s highway modernisation programme under the Bharatmala Pariyojna.
Once completed, the expressway will cut the Mumbai–Pune commute to about 90 minutes and reduce Mumbai–Bengaluru travel time from the current 18 hours to just six. With a planned length of roughly 700 km, the fully access-controlled corridor will enable speeds of up to 120 km/h, offering a smoother, safer and more sustainable travel experience.The highway will be equipped with two emergency airstrips for disaster management, 55 flyovers to decongest bottlenecks, and 22 interchanges for seamless regional access. Beginning at the Atal Tunnel in Mumbai, the route will link to the Pune Ring Road before entering Karnataka, traversing 12 districts across Maharashtra and Karnataka. Experts highlight that such infrastructure will not only facilitate passenger travel but also accelerate the movement of goods, boosting trade, logistics and tourism.
In Pune district alone, road infrastructure worth Rs 50,000 crore is currently under construction, part of a broader investment pipeline of Rs 2 lakh crore in the region. Proposals worth an additional Rs 15,000 crore are on the table, with equal value projects under evaluation. City planners are also pushing for elevated corridors to ease congestion and an expanded airport to meet rising passenger demand.Land acquisition remains a challenge, but transport authorities stress that coordinated planning and firm political resolve can keep the project on track. They point to previous successes such as the Mumbai–Pune Expressway, completed in record time and at lower-than-expected costs, as proof that such large-scale projects can be delivered efficiently.
The Mumbai–Pune–Bengaluru expressway is expected to have far-reaching socio-economic impacts, linking major industrial, IT, and manufacturing hubs. By reducing travel time and improving logistics, the corridor could significantly cut carbon emissions through reduced fuel consumption, aligning with India’s long-term net-zero commitments.
