December 31, 2025: Commuters travelling between Mumbai and Pune could soon see relief from chronic congestion, with the long-pending 13.3-kilometre missing link on the Mumbai–Pune Expressway nearing completion. The stretch, located near Lonavala, is expected to open in the coming months and is projected to reduce travel time by up to 30 minutes, particularly during weekends and holiday periods when traffic volumes surge.
The project has faced repeated delays due to difficult terrain and weather conditions, but officials say the most complex phases are now complete. “There were a lot of challenges in the construction of the missing link road project, which is 13.3 km long and cuts through hills and crosses the valley. All project hurdles have been overcome, and the major work is complete. Only small works are remaining,” a senior official from the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) was quoted as saying by Indian Express.
At present, vehicles must pass through the 19.8-kilometre Khopoli–Sinhgad Institute section, which cuts through Lonavala town. Narrow lanes, tourist traffic and frequent bottlenecks along this stretch often result in long delays. The missing link has been designed to bypass this congestion entirely.
The new alignment includes two tunnels measuring 8.9 kilometres and 1.7 kilometres, along with two cable-stayed bridges spanning 840 metres and 650 metres. According to MSRDC, the tunnels are 23.30 metres wide and feature four traffic lanes along with an emergency lane, placing them among the widest road tunnels in Asia.
Officials said the viaduct connecting the two tunnels across a deep valley posed the greatest engineering challenge, but construction on this section has now been completed. In anticipation of higher traffic volumes, the carriageway towards Khopoli has also been widened.
Once operational, the revised route is expected to cut the overall distance by over six kilometres and bring Mumbai–Pune travel time down to around 2.5 hours. When combined with the Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Trans Harbour Link, the corridor is expected to further improve connectivity between Pune and South Mumbai.
The Rs 6,595 crore project, launched in 2019, was delayed by the pandemic and monsoon disruptions. MSRDC has stated that the revised target of March 2026 will be met.
