The Mumbai–Pune Missing Link project will be inaugurated on May 1, coinciding with Maharashtra Day, marking the completion of one of the most anticipated upgrades on the Yashwantrao Chavan Mumbai–Pune Expressway.
The project introduces a new 13.3 km stretch between Khopoli and Kusgaon, reducing the existing 19 km ghat section via Khandala Ghat by nearly 6 km. The new alignment is expected to cut travel time between Mumbai and Pune by 25 to 30 minutes.
At present, commuters travelling along this corridor face frequent congestion at Khandala Ghat, particularly during weekends and the monsoon season, when landslides and slow-moving traffic lead to significant delays. The Missing Link has been developed to bypass this stretch and provide a smoother alternative route.
The project has been executed by the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation at a cost of ₹6,695 crore. Although initially scheduled for completion in December 2023, it was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, complex tunnelling work beneath Lonavala Lake, and challenging weather conditions in the Western Ghats.
The Missing Link includes two tunnels measuring 1.68 km and 8.87 km, along with viaducts of 790 metres and 650 metres. It also involves the eight-laning of a 5.86 km stretch between Khalapur and Khopoli, and upgrades to toll plazas at Talegaon, Khalapur and Shedung.
The new section is designed for speeds of up to 120 kmph, compared to 60–80 kmph on the existing ghat route. In the initial phase, the road will be open only to light motor vehicles.
Construction began in 2019 after environmental clearance was granted in 2018. The project was executed in two packages, with Navyuga Engineering handling tunnel works and Efcons Infrastructure responsible for viaduct construction.
