Another delay has been caused by the much-anticipated missing link of the Mumbai-Pune Motorway, an essential infrastructure project meant to reduce traffic between Mumbai and Pune. According to the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), the project is now anticipated to be completed by August 2025 after being originally scheduled for completion in March 2024 and then moved to January 2025. Despite this setback, 92% of the project is finished, and the building of a cable-stayed bridge at Lonavala, close to Tiger Valley, is the only significant obstacle remaining.
As a component of a broader Rs 6,695 crore project, this missing link project intends to minimise the distance between Khopoli and the Sinhgad Institute by more than 6 km and cut down on travel time by about 25 minutes. The project’s last obstacle is the cable-stayed bridge, which has imposing pylons that rise to a height of 180 meters. Although the majority of the bridge’s superstructure and groundwork have been finished, the difficult nature of high-altitude construction combined with intense wind pressure has caused delays in the last phases.
The project is being carried out in two parts. Phase I will see the construction of two eight-lane tunnels, and Phase II will see the construction of viaducts and other required infrastructure. Although the tunnelling has already been finished, the difficult conditions at almost 100 meters above sea level have caused the viaduct building to go slowly. Anilkumar Gaikwad, the managing director and vice-chairman of the MSRDC, said that 12.4 km of the 13 km stretch is finished, with the cable-stayed bridge being the last item to be completed.
When the new route is finished, it should help ease the severe traffic congestion that now exists on the stretch between the Khandala exit and the Adoshi tunnel. Long traffic bottlenecks are a result of this segment of the Mumbai-Pune Motorway merging with National Highway 4 (NH-4), particularly during rush hours. According to MSRDC, the proposed route will handle 85% of the expressway’s existing traffic, thereby reducing congestion. Even with the advancements, everyday commuters are becoming increasingly irritated with the project’s ongoing delays.
Those who depend on the motorway for everyday travel between Mumbai and Pune have experienced difficulties as a result of the delayed deadlines. But MSRDC officials have underlined that safety is still the foremost priority, especially considering how complicated and high-altitude the bridge’s construction is. The public has been reassured by the agency that work is being done carefully, paying close regard to the difficulties caused by wind pressure and the bridge’s general structural soundness.
To compensate for delays and extra construction expenses, MSRDC has announced a 15-year extension of the Mumbai-Pune Motorway toll collection. The planned Rs 5,000–6,000 crore project, which would enlarge the motorway from six to eight lanes, is awaiting permission despite obstacles like the need to purchase 100 hectares of land and the Rs 800 crore cost of building the tunnel.
The three-year expansion, if granted, will increase capacity and reduce traffic. Long-term advantages including shorter travel times, increased road safety, and better connectivity are promised by the expansion and missing link projects, notwithstanding delays. By strengthening Maharashtra’s transport system and catering to commuters’ increasing needs, these projects hope to improve commutes for millions of people while promoting economic expansion.
Source: Urban Acres
