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One side of Mutha bridge on Mumbai-Bengaluru bypass to open to public by February

The new bridge over the Mutha river on the Mumbai–Bengaluru bypass is set to partially open by February, promising relief from heavy traffic between Warje and Navale Bridge.

2 min readNov 17, 2025 08:48 PM IST

The full bridge will be ready by May 2026 as PMC also widens service roads to ease local traffic.

A new flyover planned on Delhi’s Outer Ring Road is expected to ease chronic congestion and improve connectivity across several parts of northwest Delhi, officials said. (File Photo for representation)

In some relief to citizens travelling via the Mumbai-Bengaluru bypass stretch passing through the city, one side of the new bridge that crosses over the Mutha river connecting Sinhagad road area to Warje is all set to open to the public in the next few months.

The Mumbai-Bengaluru bypass was constructed a few decades ago to prevent vehicles from entering the city’s congested roads. The road from Somatane Phata to Katraj ensured vehicles travelling between Mumbai and Bengaluru did not enter Pune. However, rapid urbanisation and the city’s expansion brought the bypass under the city’s limits, leading to heavy traffic on the bypass road, which many locals use daily to commute.

Over the last few years, heavy traffic and accidents on the bypass from Katraj to Ambegaon and Tathawade prompted a greater demand to expand and improve roads. Traffic used to be heaviest at Chandni Chowk on the bypass and a multi-level flyover smoothened traffic at the location. However, the traffic has now shifted between Warje and Navale Bridge.

The bridge over the Mutha river was initially four lanes, however the development of service roads on either side of the river and the existing bypass road has moved the flow of traffic onto the bridge, which is too narrow. Therefore, the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) took up constructing a new bridge over the river, with lanes on either side of the existing bridge.

“One lane of the bridge will be open to the public by February next year and the entire bridge will be inaugurated in May 2026. This will help resolve heavy traffic in Warje,” said NCP(SP) working president Supriya Sule, who reviewed the ongoing work as it falls under the Baramati Lok Sabha constituency, which she represents in Parliament.
She said citizens of Pune are fed up with traffic on city roads and civic issues of the city must be prioritised.

The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has decided to further widen the service roads to the bypass so that small local vehicles can use service roads, thereby decongesting the main highway.

Ajay Jadhav

Ajay Jadhav is an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, Pune. With over 22 years of experience in the industry, he is a highly specialized journalist whose work focuses on the intersection of urban infrastructure, governance, and sustainability. Professional Background Role: As Assistant Editor, he plays a key role in the editorial direction of the Pune bureau, specializing in urban policy and its direct impact on citizens. Education: He holds a Master’s degree in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a PG Diploma in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). He also studied at the prestigious Fergusson College. Impactful Reporting: He is credited with research-based articles on conservancy staff (waste workers) that influenced national policy for better working conditions. He is also known for exposing the contrast between high-end infrastructure (like helipads for leaders) and the lack of basic amenities like schools in their home districts. Personal Interests: An avid trekker and sports enthusiast, his personal interest in the outdoors often informs his reporting on environmental protection and sustainable development. Recent Notable Articles (December 2025) His reporting in late 2025 has been dominated by the upcoming January 2026 Civic Polls in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, and the city's infrastructure boom: 1. Political Analysis (Civic Elections 2026) "Not friendly but a bitter fight lies ahead between BJP and NCP for PMC, PCMC" (Dec 22, 2025): A detailed look at the intense rivalry between the Mahayuti partners as they prepare for the January 15 municipal elections. "Pune civic polls: Big blow to NCP, NCP(SP) as leaders switch to BJP" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on high-profile poaching and party-hopping ahead of the elections. "Ajit Pawar's NCP continues domination in Pune, wins 10 of 17 local bodies" (Dec 21, 2025): Analyzing the results of the local self-government body elections as a precursor to the main civic polls. 2. Infrastructure & Urban Development "Looking Ahead at 2026: Pune to see inauguration of much-awaited Hinjewadi to Shivajinagar metro route" (Dec 22, 2025): An "outlook" piece on the critical Metro Line 3 project expected to finish by March 2026. "Building Pune: PMC to construct double-decker bridge over Mula-Mutha River" (Dec 18, 2025): Detailing a major project aimed at easing traffic between Hadapsar and Kharadi. "Condition of highway from Pune to Kolhapur to improve in a year: Gadkari" (Dec 4, 2025): Reporting on the Union Minister’s assurances regarding one of the state's most critical transport corridors. 3. Civic Governance & Environment "Install sensors, LED indicators at construction sites within 15 days: PMC to builders" (Dec 16, 2025): A follow-up to the "Breathless Pune" series, reporting on new mandates for builders to monitor air quality in real-time. "Errors in electoral rolls: PMC corrects data of 92,466 voters" (Dec 16, 2025): Tracking the administrative efforts to clean up the voter lists before the 2026 elections. Signature Style Ajay Jadhav is known for accountability journalism. His work often bridges the gap between high-level policy and the "ground zero" reality of Pune's residents. He is particularly focused on Sustainable Development, ensuring that as Pune grows into a "Bharat Mandapam" style destination (referring to his report on the Lohegaon project), its environmental and social safeguards remain intact. X (Twitter): @ajay_khape ... Read More

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