Pune Ring Road: Western stretch races ahead with major tunnels nearing completion; progress now visible in satellite images

Western half moving fast | clear signs from satellite images

Recent satellite images show that the western half of the Pune Outer Ring Road (PORR) is taking clear shape. This 65.5 km section will connect the Mumbai–Pune Expressway with the Pune–Bengaluru Highway (NH48). Once complete, it will help decongest the existing western bypass from Kiwale to Katraj and reduce heavy traffic entering the city.

So far:

About 13% of overall work has been completed in the last six to eight months, despite early monsoon rains.
Nine of the twelve construction packages across the project are actively under development.
Land acquisition for the western side is nearly 97% complete, which allowed uninterrupted work to begin in February.

Pune Outer Ring Road progress — **Image: Infra News India (INI) @TheINIofficial on X**

Major tunnel construction at Sinhgad foothills

One of the most significant milestones is the tunnel work near Sinhgad. Two large tunnels with a combined length of 5.87 km, the longest in the entire project, are being built between Khamagav Maval and the alignment towards Kalyan. Around 1.5 km of tunnelling has already been completed.

The impact will be substantial:

Currently, travelling from Khamagav Maval to Kalyan via city roads takes about one hour and covers nearly 35 km.
Once the tunnels open, the same journey will take only a few minutes over just 7.5 km.
Commuters exiting the tunnel will also get a clear view of the iconic Sinhgad Fort on the left, adding a scenic touch to the engineering marvel.

Maharashtra Times quoted project officials saying that controlled blasting is being used for tunnel excavation, followed by cranes to clear loosened rock. “Blasting is carried out to form the tunnel, and cranes are used to remove debris,” said Sham Kurole, project manager at Navayuga Company. Ashish Kale, an engineer with the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), confirmed the steady progress of tunnel works.

Strong coordination and heavy machinery on-site

The PORR project is divided into several packages, five on the western side and four on the eastern side, making a total of nine packages currently active. Large construction equipment and work teams are deployed across all western zones. With nearly all the required land acquired, the western packages have moved faster than expected.

Although the early arrival of the monsoon initially slowed progress, activity picked up pace later, bringing 13% of the total project work to completion. Officials expect faster progress over the next six months.

Timeline and targets

Reports mention two slightly different timelines for the 70% completion milestone, March 2026 and December 2026. Either way, MSRDC officials are confident that most of the western portion will be ready by late 2026. They added that the next few months are critical for maintaining the current pace and avoiding seasonal delays.

How the project will transform Pune’s traffic

Once operational, the western section of the Pune Outer Ring Road will:

Provide a direct high-speed connection between two major national highways.
Significantly reduce through-traffic on the congested western bypass.
Shorten travel time for long-distance vehicles that currently pass through city roads.

The PORR is designed to serve as a bypass for all categories of vehicles heading around Pune, offering relief from city congestion and smoother intercity movement.

What lies ahead

Completion of the remaining 4+ km of tunnelling near Sinhgad.
Acceleration of work across the remaining western packages.
Confirmation of the official 70% completion deadline by MSRDC.

The Pune Outer Ring Road project is finally showing visible and measurable progress, not only on-site but also in satellite images. If this pace continues, Pune could see major traffic relief by 2026.