Mumbai: The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) is set to unveil a new link project on the Mumbai - Pune expressway between Khalapur and Lonavala on the 1st of April 2026. This ₹6,695.37-crore project, involving a cable-stayed bridge and a complex network of tunnels, will reduce the expressway length by 6km, cutting commute time between these two economic hubs by 25 minutes.
Representational Image
Aim of the Project:
The initiative aims to reduce traffic between Khalapur and Lonavala and ease congestion in areas near Lonavala and Khandala. This stretch is often congested, especially on weekends and holidays, increasing commute time.
The existing expressway has been widened from six to eight lanes over a 5.86-km stretch, between the Khalapur toll plaza and the Khopoli exit. An entirely new 13.3-km, eight-lane alignment is also being constructed between the Khopoli exit and Kusgaon near the Sinhagad Institute.
The new link includes two tunnels, measuring 1.68 km and 8.87 km and has two bridges, spanning 900 metres and 650 metres. Once the link is ready, the distance between Khopoli and Sinhagad Institute will reduce from 19 km to 13.3 km.
Delays in Timelines:
Originally due in January 2026, completion was delayed to April 2026 because of engineering and weather challenges.
“The project is now targeted for completion by April 1, 2026. The revised timeline accounts for the complexity of the terrain and difficult working conditions,” an MSRDC official told Hindustan Times.
This project has had multiple revised deadlines in the past, with earlier timelines set for March 2024, January 2025, March 2025, September 2025 and December 2025.
MSRDC officials have stated that the work is 98.8% completed and that the electrical and mechanical testing and commissioning are underway. Currently, the construction of one bridge has been completed, while the work on the second bridge is underway with girder erection and deck slab work around 90% done. The expressway between Khalapur and Khopoli has been widened, along with augmentation work at the Talegaon and Shedung toll plazas. However, the expansion of the Khalapur toll plaza is still ongoing.
The initiative was approved in August 2018 by the Cabinet Sub-Committee on Infrastructure.
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