The expansion program for the Mumbai-Pune Expressway faces a temporary stop after Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation chose different infrastructure projects over financing constraints according to senior MSRDC officials during the budget assembly meeting which ended on Wednesday. During the meeting, the proposal did not receive any consideration or discussion, as reported by Times of India.
A Senior MSRDC Official told Times of India, “While the Mumbai-Pune Expressway expansion remains crucial, we are currently focusing on the Pune Ring Road (Rs 43,000 crore) and Jalna-Nanded Expressway projects (Rs 24,703). The construction of nine creek bridges (Rs 9,000 crore) in the Konkan region is the other project that we are very keen on.”
The official mentioned that “The need for expansion was first identified in 2002 when the expressway was originally completed. With increasing vehicle movement between Mumbai and Pune, the project has become more critical than ever. Fund constraints are, however, delaying the proposal.”
The Rs 6000 crore expansion project needs about 100 hectares of land while the construction duration spans three years. Both the Pune Ring Road alongside Jalna-Nanded Expressway jointly demand funding of Rs 68,000 crore as an estimated cost.
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Traffic Issue On The Expressway:
Traffic on the 94-kilometer access-controlled six-lane Mumbai-Pune Expressway constructed in 2002 has experienced substantial growth in recent years. Every day approximately 150,000 vehicles travel on the expressway but currently, it provides only three lanes in each direction so it needs an upgrade. The completion of Atal Setu has cut down the journey between Mumbai and Pune so traffic between these cities might expand more. MSRDC has decided to extend the expressway.
