The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) has temporarily halted the proposed Mumbai-Pune Motorway enlargement in order to focus on other significant infrastructure projects because of budgetary limitations. Following Wednesday’s budget assembly session, senior officials affirmed that the expansion plan was not even brought up.
While the project remains a priority, MSRDC has chosen to prioritise the Pune Ring Road, which is estimated to cost Rs 43,000 crore, and the Jalna-Nanded Expressway, with a projected cost of Rs 24,703 crore. Additionally, the construction of nine creek bridges in the Konkan region, amounting to Rs 9,000 crore, has also been given precedence.
The proposed expressway expansion, expected to cost Rs 6,000 crore, would require around 100 hectares of land and take approximately three years to complete. Initially planned to transform the critical 94-km corridor from six to eight lanes, the need for widening was first identified in 2002, when the expressway was completed. However, with the continuous increase in vehicle movement between Mumbai and Pune, the urgency for expansion has only intensified. Despite this, financial limitations have delayed the project. An MSRDC official acknowledged that while the expansion is still on their radar, the implementation timeline remains uncertain, as multiple infrastructure needs must be balanced against available resources.
According to experts, the delay may make traffic on one of Maharashtra’s busiest roadways worse. According to a transportation analyst, commuters frequently experience traffic jams and accidents, and every year of inaction increases the strain on the system. Megha Shimpi, who commutes every day, underlined the urgent need for improved planning in light of the exponential increase in traffic.
Since the recently opened Atal Setu has further shortened the travel time between Mumbai and Pune, there will probably be more traffic between the two cities, which makes the development of the motorway even more important.
Source: TOI
