Pune: The Maharashtra Government has announced that the long-awaited "Missing Link" project of the Mumbai-Pune Expressway (officially the Yashwantrao Chavan Expressway) will be inaugurated on Friday (1st May), which is also Maharashtra Day. Ever since this announcement was made, the leaders within Mahayuti have been desperately trying to take credit for the ambitious project -- as people say it could potentially change the commute between Mumbai and Pune forever.
The “Missing Link” is a 13.3 km technical marvel designed to bypass the treacherous Khandala Ghat (Bhor Ghat) section of the Mumbai-Pune Expressway. The link connects Khopoli Exit and Kusgaon near Lonavala. Currently, the existing 19 km ghat section is notorious for landslides, hairpin bends, and massive traffic bottlenecks. The Missing Link bypasses this entirely, shortening the distance by 6 km.
Experts say that this is expected to reduce travel time between Mumbai and Pune by around 30 minutes. However, this is considering the fact that there is no traffic congestion on both fronts. Experts also pointed out that this missing link will definitely reduce the traffic congestion near Lonavala and Khandala -- the most traffic-prone areas on the expressway.
The project includes twin tunnels (one is 8.9 km long) with a width of 23.5 metres, which are currently being proposed for the Guinness World Records as the widest road tunnels in the world. A 650-metre-long bridge in “Tiger Valley” stands at a height of 182 metres (about 60 storeys high), making it one of the tallest in the country. Engineers had to tunnel deep beneath the Lonavala Lake without disturbing the water body -- a massive technical challenge.
This is where the political credit-seeking stems from, as the project features record-breaking infrastructure. These engineering marvels have earned the bragging rights for the political leaders across the state.
Credit Wars Emerge Within Mahayuti
The social media war began as soon as the inauguration was announced; leaders within the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, and the Ajit Pawar-Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) started making posts and claims that it was they who made this project possible. The BJP leaders are giving credit to Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis and Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways.
While Shiv Sena leaders are claiming that ‘Infra Man’ and former Chief Minister Eknath Shinde played the most key part in bringing the missing link project to life. NCP leaders were not late and started making posts crediting the late deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar. Netizens noted that although NCP’s campaign was limited, Shiv Sena and BJP have been pushing extra hard for the credit.
Currently, the whole of social media is filled with people discussing the missing link project. Amidst this, the credit war continues. Public relations machineries are working overtime, one netizen noted on X (formerly Twitter). As the credit war continues, netizens have been slamming the government for its delays of this project.
Former CM and PWD Minister Eknath Shinde has been the most visible face of the project. Also, as the former MSRDC minister, he frequently visits the site and claims the project as his “dream child". He recently conducted a high-profile inspection on April 26, 2026. The project was officially approved, and the foundation stone was laid by Devendra Fadnavis in 2019 during his first tenure as chief minister. His supporters credit his “Vision Maharashtra” for the funding and the fast-tracking of environmental clearances.
Though a central minister, Gadkari is often credited by the public for the “Expressway culture” in Maharashtra. Leaders often invoke his name to lend weight to the project’s world-class standards. As the finance minister of the state from 2023, his camp highlights his role in ensuring the multi-thousand-crore funding remained seamless despite the pandemic delays.
Netizens Slam Government
The project was originally supposed to be completed by March 2024. It missed several deadlines before the current 1st May 2026 date. With the inauguration scheduled for Maharashtra Day (May 1), many feel the rush to “claim” the project is a move to woo voters in the Mumbai-Pune-Thane belt.
Many netizens are pointing out that the project is built with public money and that the “credit” belongs to the engineers of the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) and the taxpayers, not the politicians cutting the ribbon.
An X user said, “The citizens of Maharashtra should take 100% of the credit. This 'Missing Link' project was built using our tax money. Got it? And yet, one man will come walking in all alone to inaugurate it. Ministers cutting ribbons and all is just drama. The project is by the people, for the people and to the people.”
Another social media user said, “How can they take credit for this project after so many delays? The Mumbai-Pune journey is a nightmare these days. We are not even sure how much of a problem this missing link solves. According to me, instead of taking credit, they should just go ahead and introduce more projects to make citizens’ lives easier.”
One netizen, however, defended the government. “There are thousands more who have worked together and contributed to the missing link project. They all can have such pictures. Don't you flash projects on CVs even if you have a minor contribution to them?" they said.
Here’s The Timeline
Phase 1: Conception and Approval
- 13th June 2017: The Maharashtra State Cabinet officially grants approval for the "Missing Link" project to bypass the Khandala Ghat section.
- 30th August 2018: Engineering, procurement, and construction contracts are awarded. Navayuga Engineering is tasked with the tunnels, and Afcons Infrastructure is assigned the bridges and viaducts.
- February–March 2019: Groundbreaking and commencement of civil works. The initial completion window is set for 36 months, targeting a March 2024 finish.
- All this phase was during the Devendra Fadnavis-led Maharashtra government, in which Eknath Shinde was the Public Works Department (PWD) minister and Nitin Gadkari was the union minister of road transport and highways.
Phase 2: Construction & "The Delay Era"
- 2020–2022: Work slows down due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the extreme engineering challenges of tunnelling 182 metres beneath Lonavala Lake. The Fadnavis government had fallen while Eknath Shinde was still a part of the Mahavikas Aghadi government along with Ajit Pawar.
- 2022 and 2023: Eknath Shinde became the CM, and Fadnavis became his deputy as they formed the government in 2022. Ajit Pawar joined the government in 2023, and all three leaders worked to expedite the missing link works.
- March 2024 (Missed Deadline): The original completion date has passed. MSRDC cites "geographical and technical complexities" and heavy monsoon winds as reasons for the delay.
- Late 2024 – 2025: A series of revised deadlines were set but repeatedly missed: January 2025 (Revision 1), March 2025 (Revision 2), August 2025 (Revision 3), and December 2025 (Revision 4).
Phase 3: The 2026 Final Push
- 19th January 2026: Major milestone achieved where the two ends of the record-breaking cable-stayed bridge are finally connected. MSRDC targets an April 1 opening.
- February 2026: A massive gas tanker accident near Khopoli causes a 32-hour traffic jam, putting intense public and political pressure on the government to open the Missing Link immediately.
- 5th March 2026: Deputy CM Eknath Shinde confirms in the legislative assembly that the project is 98% complete and the new deadline is May 1.
- April 5, 2026: Finishing touches begin, including the installation of 400 metres of crash barriers, signage, and testing of the tunnel's water-mist fire suppression systems.
- April 26, 2026: Final load-bearing tests are conducted on the bridge. DCM Eknath Shinde and senior officials conduct a site review.
The Current Milestone
- 1st May 2026 (Maharashtra Day): Official Inauguration. The project opens for cars and buses, ending nearly 7 years of construction and multiple political cycles.
