The proposed expansion of the Mumbai-Pune Expressway has been put on hold as the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) shifts focus to higher-priority infrastructure projects due to financial constraints. Officials confirmed that the expansion plan was not discussed during the state budget session on Wednesday.
“While widening the Mumbai-Pune Expressway remains a priority, our current focus is on major projects such as the Pune Ring Road (₹43,000 crore) and the Jalna-Nanded Expressway (₹24,703 crore). Additionally, we are allocating resources for the construction of nine creek bridges in the Konkan region (₹9,000 crore),” an MSRDC official told TOI.
The proposed ₹6,000 crore project aimed to expand the expressway from six lanes to eight, requiring around 100 hectares of land and approximately three years to complete. However, with MSRDC prioritizing projects worth nearly ₹68,000 crore, the expressway expansion has been temporarily deferred.
Initially built in 2002, the 94-kilometer Mumbai-Pune Expressway was designed to accommodate increasing intercity traffic. However, with over 1.5 lakh vehicles using the route daily, congestion and road accidents have become frequent concerns.
Urban mobility experts caution that postponing the expansion could further strain the existing infrastructure. “With each year of delay, traffic congestion worsens, putting added stress on an already overburdened road network,” said an urban planning consultant.
Regular commuters also highlight the pressing need for expansion. “The increasing vehicle count demands proactive infrastructure planning. Traffic jams and accidents have become routine,” said Megha Shimpi, a frequent traveler on the expressway.
The newly inaugurated Atal Setu bridge has significantly reduced travel time between Mumbai and Pune, potentially leading to an even higher vehicle influx on the expressway. Given the rising demand, MSRDC acknowledges that widening the expressway remains a crucial project but has yet to establish a timeline for its execution.
“We are carefully balancing multiple infrastructure projects with available financial resources. The expressway expansion remains on our agenda, but we cannot commit to a specific schedule at this stage,” an MSRDC official stated.
With traffic volumes continuing to rise, experts emphasize the need for long-term planning to ensure the expressway can effectively support future growth.
