Pune-Mumbai Expressway: New DPR Approved to Cut Travel Time to 90 Minutes
Pune and Mumbai are set for a transformative upgrade in road connectivity after the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) approved the detailed project report (DPR) for a new high-speed expressway between the two cities. Once operational, the corridor is expected to reduce travel time to nearly 90 minutes, offering significant relief to commuters and freight operators while reshaping regional mobility across western Maharashtra.
The proposed eight-lane expressway, with an estimated investment of ₹15,000 crore, is designed as a high-capacity alternative to the existing Mumbai–Pune Expressway, which has reached saturation levels due to sustained growth in private vehicles, freight traffic, and intercity travel. According to highway officials, the new corridor will be capable of carrying close to three lakh vehicles daily, easing congestion and improving safety on one of India’s busiest road stretches.
A senior highways official said the project responds to changing travel patterns between Mumbai and Pune, both of which have expanded rapidly as employment, education, and logistics hubs. “The current expressway struggles with peak-hour congestion, accidents, and monsoon-related disruptions. The new route has been planned to ensure faster and more predictable journeys while diverting heavy and long-distance traffic away from urban centres,” the official noted.
Strategically, the expressway will integrate with Mumbai’s Atal Setu and connect key economic assets such as the Navi Mumbai International Airport and Jawaharlal Nehru Port. It will traverse the Sahyadri range through a combination of tunnels and elevated structures before terminating near Shivare in Bhor taluka, where it links directly to Pune’s proposed Ring Road. This configuration allows vehicles heading towards Satara, Kolhapur, and Bengaluru to bypass Pune city, reducing urban congestion and travel emissions.
Urban planners view the project as a critical component of the larger Pune–Bengaluru greenfield corridor, supporting regional logistics, manufacturing supply chains, and intercity labour mobility. “High-capacity corridors like this enable decentralised growth by improving access without overburdening city cores,” said a transport infrastructure expert, adding that time savings also translate into lower fuel consumption and operational costs. Frequent users of the existing expressway have welcomed the move. Business travellers and transport operators alike point to unpredictable delays caused by accidents, bottlenecks, and landslides during the monsoon season.
Diverting freight and long-distance vehicles to a modern, engineered corridor is expected to improve safety and reliability for all road users. While construction timelines are yet to be announced, officials said environmental safeguards, efficient land use, and resilient design will remain central to execution. If delivered as planned, the new Pune–Mumbai expressway could set a benchmark for sustainable, high-speed intercity travel, balancing economic efficiency with the long-term mobility needs of India’s rapidly urbanising regions.
