October 4, 2025: The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has accelerated work on the six-laning of the 20-kilometre stretch between Gonde and Pimpri Sado on the Mumbai–Agra highway. The project, originally scheduled for completion by March 2027, is now expected to be finished by December next year – more than two years earlier than planned.
The decision to fast-track the works has been taken in view of the forthcoming Simhastha Kumbh Mela, which will run from October 2026 to July 2028. The religious gathering is anticipated to draw millions of pilgrims, with particularly heavy crowds expected during the Amrit Snan rituals in August and September 2027. Large numbers of devotees will congregate for holy dips at Ramkund in Nashik and at Trimbakeshwar, significantly increasing pressure on the region’s road network.
Local authorities are already upgrading civic and transport infrastructure to cope with the anticipated surge in visitors. The Gonde–Pimpri Sado section is seen as a critical link, as the Pimpri Sado end connects with the Samruddhi Expressway near Igatpuri. This connection is expected to serve as a major route for pilgrims travelling to Nashik and Trimbakeshwar. To accommodate the additional traffic, NHAI is adding two lanes along the stretch, enabling smoother and safer movement of vehicles.
Once the Kumbh Mela concludes, NHAI plans to extend the six-lane development further up to Vadpe, thereby strengthening connectivity across the region. Officials emphasised that these upgrades form part of a wider strategy to modernise India’s highways in response to both immediate event-driven requirements and long-term growth in traffic.
By expediting this project, authorities aim not only to ease congestion during the festival but also to ensure lasting improvements in road safety and commuter convenience along this vital corridor.
Source: Prop News Time
