The New 10km Shortcut Opens May 1

Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde announced the inauguration of the work on the ‘Missing Link’ of the Mumbai-Pune Expressway on May 1. Shinde noted that this project will significantly reduce traffic congestion in the ghat area, making travel time faster and safer.

The length of the project, costing 9,700 crores, is approximately 10.5 kilometers, and width measuring roughly around 23.75 meters wide, making it one of the widest tunnels in the world. The road passes 182 meters beneath Lonavala Lake. The total distance of the Mumbai-Pune Expressway will decrease by about 6 kilometers, reducing travel time by 20 to 30 minutes. The project will also improve connectivity to popular tourist spots like Lohagad Fort, Visapur Fort, and Karla Caves. Replicas of forts and caves adorn the inside of the tunnels to promote local heritage.

The government aims to create a network of access-controlled roads across the state by connecting this project with the Samruddhi Mahamarg, Konkan Coastal Road, and the Vasai-Virar Multimodal Corridor.