Mumbai-Pune Expressway missing link: Load testing begins, MSRDC outlines graded traffic plan

Patil also confirmed that both decks are now joined. “Both corridors, the decks on both routes, have been connected,” he said.

When asked about how traffic will be phased in after the inauguration, Patil outlined a graded approach. “For the first three months, only light vehicles will be permitted. In the following three months, heavy and passenger vehicles will be allowed. After studying the traffic flow over the first six months, further decisions will be taken regarding the permission of commercial vehicles,” he explained.

In February, the Raigad highway traffic police said that vehicles carrying combustible substances such as petrol, diesel, LPG, CNG, and other chemicals will not be permitted to use the missing link.

“As per Indian Road Congress (IRC) guidelines, long tunnels fall in the highest risk category. In the event of a fire in a tunnel, there is a serious risk of suffocation with catastrophic consequences. A similar accident in Japan resulted in casualties due to suffocation. And passenger safety is top priority,” the officials had said.

While the state government has floated May 1, Maharashtra Day, as a tentative inauguration date, MSRDC officials have clarified that the final call rests with the state leadership.

Bypassing ghat section

The project connects Khopoli and Kusgaon, bypassing the winding, steep Khandala-Lonavala ghat section that has long been one of the most persistent bottlenecks on one of India’s busiest expressways. The existing route between the two points stretches nearly 19.8 km; the missing link trims that distance by over 6 km, saving commuters between 25 and 30 minutes of travel time.

Executed by MSRDC at a cost of around Rs 6,695 crore, the alignment begins at the Khopoli exit with a 900-metre viaduct bridge standing roughly 60 metres above ground, leading into the first tunnel, 1.64 km long. This is followed by one of the project’s most striking engineering achievements: a 650-metre cable-stayed bridge over Tiger Valley, held aloft by two pylons, each soaring 180 metres.

The valley floor lies nearly 184 metres below. The pylons were deliberately designed to minimise the number of supports required, enhancing both structural stability and the integrity of the surrounding terrain.

Beyond the bridge, vehicles enter the second and considerably longer tunnel, approximately 9 km, which carries traffic directly to Kusgaon on the Pune side. The link has four lanes, one more than the existing ghat section, which should ease the chronic congestion that has plagued the route for decades.