Pune-Mumbai Expressway Link Set to Slash Travel Time, Enhances Access to Navi Mumbai Airport
Travellers from Pune are about to experience a significant reduction in travel time to the new Navi Mumbai International Airport, thanks to the nearing completion of a key road project on the Pune-Mumbai Expressway. The ambitious ₹ 6,595-crore link road project, designed to bypass Lonavala town, is set to eliminate steep slopes and ghat sections, transforming a crucial stretch into what is dubbed a “zero fatality corridor.”
With 90 percent of the work already completed, the project is on track for completion by June 2025, just ahead of the scheduled opening of Navi Mumbai’s international airport in April. The link road will drastically shorten the commute between Pune and Navi Mumbai, cutting travel time by up to 30 minutes. “Most of the civil work has been completed, and the remaining tasks are progressing rapidly,” said Rakesh Sonawane, Executive Engineer at Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC).
This development has significant implications for air travel. Currently, it takes around four hours to cover the 160 km distance from Pune to Mumbai International Airport, but the new link road will reduce this to just two-and-a-half hours, with the distance to Navi Mumbai airport being 120 km. With the new bypass, this travel time could be further reduced to a maximum of two hours. The 13.3-km-long link road features two major cable bridges—one 840 metres long and another 650 metres long—across valleys, and 1.7 km of tunnels cutting through the hills. These tunnels and bridges represent significant engineering feats, contributing to the project’s complexity and delayed timelines. Despite the tough terrain, which included challenges posed by the pandemic, the project is now nearing the final stages of construction.
The link road will not only shorten travel distances but also improve safety. The project is designed to mitigate traffic congestion, especially in the notorious Lonavala ghat section, and incorporates an Intelligent Traffic Management System (ITMS) and emergency medical services. With the increase in traffic expected after the opening of the Navi Mumbai International Airport, the MSRDC is already considering widening the existing expressway to further improve traffic flow in the future. By eliminating high-risk areas and creating a smoother, safer road, the link is set to transform travel between Pune and Mumbai, offering quicker and safer access to the new airport for international travellers and commuters alike.
