Mumbai–Pune Expressway Missing Link Nears Opening, Travel Time to Drop
Mumbai–Pune Expressway Missing Link Nears Opening, Travel Time to Drop
New 13.3 km corridor with tunnels and a massive bridge set to cut distance and ease traffic.
A major infrastructure project on the Mumbai–Pune Expressway is almost ready, with the much-awaited “Missing Link” expected to open for traffic soon. The project is likely to make travel between Mumbai and Pune faster and safer for commuters.
The new route will shorten the distance between the two cities by around 6 kilometres and is expected to save nearly 25 to 30 minutes of travel time.
The Missing Link project is about 13.3 kilometres long and has been developed by the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC). It is considered one of the most challenging engineering works on the expressway.
One of the biggest highlights of the project is a 650-metre-long cable-stayed bridge built over Tiger Valley near Lonavala. The bridge pillars rise nearly 182 metres high, which is roughly the height of a 60-storey building, making it one of the tallest road bridges in India.
Engineering Marvel – Mumbai–Pune Expressway Missing Link
— Satish (@satishmane7) March 12, 2026
The 650 m long LHS and RHS cable-stayed bridge joint has been completed today. pic.twitter.com/yoPfv5sO7y
The project also includes two major tunnels. One of these tunnels is about 8.9 kilometres long and is among the longest road tunnels in the country. These tunnels will help vehicles bypass the steep and accident-prone Khandala Ghat section, which often faces landslides and heavy traffic.
Reports suggest that nearly 98 percent of the work has already been completed. The Missing Link is expected to be inaugurated around May 1, 2026, on Maharashtra Day.
Built at an estimated cost of ₹6,695 crore, the project will allow motorists to avoid the difficult stretch between Khopoli exit and Kusgaon near Lonavala, making travel on one of India’s busiest expressways smoother and safer.
