Pune to Mumbai in 90 Minutes by Road; NHAI Approves New ₹15,000 Crore Expressway Till Atal Setu
PuneNow News Bureau Pune | December 20, 2025
PUNE: In a major boost to Maharashtra’s infrastructure and a massive relief for inter-city commuters, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has greenlit a new Greenfield Expressway that will slash travel time between Pune and Mumbai to just 90 minutes.
The Detailed Project Report (DPR) for this ambitious ₹15,000 crore project has officially been approved, marking the beginning of a new era in connectivity for Western Maharashtra.
A High-Tech Parallel Corridor
The proposed 130-kilometer highway is designed as an 8-lane Greenfield corridor, meaning it will be built on an entirely new alignment rather than widening existing roads. According to NHAI Project Director Sanjay Kadam, the project is a crucial segment of the larger Pune-Bengaluru Greenfield Corridor.
“The DPR has been approved, and we aim to complete the construction within three years of the work commencement,” Kadam stated. Once operational, the expressway is expected to handle a staggering volume of 2.5 to 3 lakh vehicles per day.
Seamless Connectivity: From Atal Setu to Pune Ring Road
The route has been strategically planned to bypass existing bottlenecks.
- Origin: The expressway will begin near the Atal Setu (MTHL) in the JNPT area of Mumbai.
- Key Links: It will provide direct connectivity to the Navi Mumbai International Airport and the JNPT Port.
- The Route: Navigating through the Sahyadri mountain ranges via a sophisticated network of tunnels and bridges, the highway will culminate at Shivre (Bhor taluka).
- Integration: At Shivre, it will merge with the proposed Pune Ring Road, allowing south-bound traffic heading toward Satara, Kolhapur, and Bengaluru to bypass Pune city entirely.
Relieving the Burden on the Old Expressway
Currently, the existing Mumbai-Pune Expressway faces frequent congestion due to heavy traffic, accidents, and seasonal landslides in the Ghat sections. Commuters often spend 3 to 4 hours in transit during peak times.
The new 8-lane design (4 lanes on each side) is engineered to allow 12,000 vehicles per hour to travel at high speeds safely. By diverting heavy machinery and long-distance trucks to this new corridor, traffic congestion within Pune city and on the old expressway is expected to drop significantly.
Economic Impact
Beyond speed, the project promises significant fuel savings and a reduction in carbon emissions. Officials believe this corridor will strengthen the state’s economy by accelerating trade between India’s financial capital and the IT-Manufacturing hub of Pune, while also providing a shot in the arm for regional tourism.
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