The Mumbai–Pune Expressway stands as one of India’s busiest and most economically significant highways, linking the financial powerhouse of Mumbai with the thriving industrial and cultural centre of Pune. However, the steep, congested stretch between Khopoli and Lonavala has remained a major bottleneck for over two decades. While the idea of a 'Missing Link' was proposed nearly 25 years ago, it was under the leadership of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis that the project finally gained traction. His administration pushed it forward not as a standalone fix, but as part of a broader, integrated vision to modernise Maharashtra’s road infrastructure.
Source: MHKC
Hailed as a modern engineering marvel, the Missing Link is designed to eliminate the steep, accident-prone ghat section with a direct, all-weather route that improves safety and streamlines traffic flow for thousands of daily commuters and freight vehicles. Despite facing challenges, the Fadnavis government has stayed committed to delivering the project. Now in its final stages, the government has set an ambitious but firm target: the route will open to the public by the end of 2025. With this, it is set to become the backbone of a future Mumbai–Pune Economic Corridor—home to logistics hubs, industrial parks, and smart townships that will drive Maharashtra’s next wave of growth.
What is the Missing Link, and why is it needed?The ‘Missing Link’ is a 13.3 km, eight-lane, access-controlled bypass on the Mumbai–Pune Expressway. Designed to replace the hazardous and congested 19.8 km Lonavala–Khandala ghat section, it will shorten the expressway by about 6 km and reduce travel time by 25–30 minutes. For years, the ghat stretch has been the expressway’s Achilles’ heel, plagued by steep gradients, sharp curves, and poor alignment. With more than 75,000 vehicles daily and weekend peaks crossing 1.2 lakh, the existing narrow six-lane stretch, shared with NH-4 (old Pune-Mumbai road) remains severely overburdened.
The most critical challenge is the “traffic funnel effect”: 10 lanes of combined traffic (E-way + NH-4) are squeezed into 6 lanes at the ghat section, creating severe congestion and choke points. Heavy vehicles, crawling at 25–28 kmph due to inclines, worsen speed disparity and lead to traffic pileups, which also creates unsafe driving conditions.
Further compounding the problem is the unstable geology of the Western Ghats, made up of weathered Deccan Basalt. This makes the area prone to landslides and rockfalls, especially during monsoon, causing frequent and prolonged disruptions.
The total cost estimated at Rs 6,695 crore, the Missing Link is a strategic intervention, designed not merely to bypass the old route, but to break the chain of cascading failures, from flawed geometry to human error and natural hazards, by introducing a technically advanced, high-capacity, all-weather alternative tailored to modern traffic needs.
Feature | Details |
Length | 13.3 km (reduces the existing 19.8 km route) |
Distance Reduced | ~5.7 to 6 km |
Cost | ₹6,600 crore to ₹6,695 crore |
Completion Status | ~94% to 96% complete |
Expected Completion | December 2025 (targeting October–November 2025) |
Travel Time Saved | 25–30 minutes |
Tunnels | Two tunnels: 8.9 km and 1.75 km (23 m wide; one runs 170 ft below Lonavala Lake) |
Viaducts / Bridges | 840 m viaduct and 650 m cable-stayed bridge (India’s tallest at 170–180 m) |
Lanes | 8-lane access-controlled alignment |
Daily Fuel Savings | ₹1 crore estimated |
Traffic Usage | 85% of current expressway traffic expected to shift to the new link |
The Old Route vs. The Missing LinkTo fully appreciate the transformative impact of the Missing Link, a direct, data-driven comparison with the existing ghat route is essential. The following table distills the key differences, highlighting how the new alignment systematically addresses every deficiency of the old one.
Parameter | Existing Khandala Ghat Route | The Missing Link Alignment | Significance of the Improvement |
Length | 19.8 km | 13.3 km | Reduces the bypassed section by 6.5 km and the total expressway length by ~6 km, leading to direct fuel and time savings. |
Travel Time | Adds an additional 30-45 minutes to the journey, often significantly more during periods of congestion or adverse weather. | Reduces the overall Mumbai-Pune journey time by a reliable 25-30 minutes. | Enhances logistical efficiency, improves journey time predictability, and significantly reduces driver fatigue and frustration. |
Road Geometry | Characterised by steep gradients, multiple sharp and blind curves, and hairpin bends that are challenging for all vehicles. | Engineered with smoother, gentler gradients and a straighter alignment, eliminating sharp turns. | Allows for consistent, higher speeds, eliminates the need for heavy vehicles to crawl in low gears, and drastically improves overall safety. |
Design Speed | Low, with a mandated speed limit of 40 kmph for heavy vehicles and 60 kmph for cars in the ghat section. | Designed for speeds of up to 120 km/h, consistent with modern expressway standards. | Transforms the most sluggish part of the expressway into a high-speed corridor, improving the average speed of the entire route. |
Lane Configuration | Acts as a severe 6-lane bottleneck for the combined traffic of the 10-lane Expressway and NH-4. | Provides a consistent 8-lane configuration (4 lanes in each direction) plus dedicated emergency lanes. | Completely eliminates the primary structural cause of traffic congestion, unsafe merging, and risky overtaking maneuvers. |
Safety & Reliability | High accident rates, prone to frequent landslides during monsoons, leading to regular traffic disruptions and closures. | Explicitly designed as a 'zero-fatality corridor' that bypasses landslide-prone areas, ensuring all-weather reliability and safety. | Fundamentally shifts the route from being a major safety liability and point of unreliability to a secure and dependable infrastructure asset. |
Key Structures | Relied on older structures like the now-demolished Amrutanjan Bridge and standard tunnels. | Features world-record-width tunnels, India's tallest cable-stayed road bridge, and modern, robust viaducts. | Represents a generational leap in infrastructure engineering, technology, and design philosophy. |
The engineering marvels: tunnels and bridgesA defining aspect of the Missing Link Project lies in its exceptional engineering components, which reflect the scale, ambition, and technological sophistication involved. At the core is a 9-kilometre tunnel, set to become India’s longest and among the widest globally. Engineered to pass beneath the Lonavala Lake — at depths reaching 170 feet — this tunnel addresses both the steep topography and geological instability of the Western Ghats.
In parallel, the project includes the construction of a cable-stayed bridge reaching a height of approximately 185 metres, which will rank as the tallest bridge in India upon completion. Spanning across the Tiger Valley in the Lonavala–Khandala region, this structure is designed to ensure safe and uninterrupted travel while adhering to the highest standards of engineering design and structural integrity. Together, these structures reflect the state’s focus on modern technology and long-term planning to improve infrastructure.
Navigating challenges: A project timelineAlthough the idea of bypassing the Lonavala–Khandala Ghat section dates back to 1995, when M/s. RITES first conducted feasibility studies and proposed an alternate alignment, the project remained dormant for over two decades. It was under the leadership of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis that the Missing Link project gained real traction in 2017–18, when the state government approved it and initiated the tendering process. Construction officially began in 2019 but the change in government soon after, followed by the COVID-19 pandemic, caused major delays and disruptions. Despite these setbacks, the Fadnavis-led administration revived and accelerated the project in 2023, prioritising its completion as part of a broader vision for holistic infrastructure development across Maharashtra.
The other challenges- The project’s construction has been shaped by geological extremes, adverse weather, engineering complexity, and global disruptions.
- It required deep excavation and hill cutting through the unstable basaltic rock of the Western Ghats—making it both time-consuming and technically demanding.
- Heavy monsoon rains and winds up to 85 kmph severely impacted high-altitude construction, especially on the 170–180 m tall cable-stayed bridge.
- The COVID-19 pandemic caused major delays, halting work during lockdowns and requiring complete timeline reworking.
- The project features Asia’s widest tunnels and India’s tallest bridge pylons, demanding specialised equipment, expert manpower, and precision engineering.
- Transporting materials to difficult-to-access valley sites posed logistical challenges throughout the project.
- The government has consistently prioritised safety and technical precision over meeting rushed deadlines, refusing to compromise on quality. Despite facing delays, it has achieved major milestones such as the completion of both tunnels and one viaduct. With steady progress now visible on the remaining components, CM Fadnavis has directed the authorities to meet at all the targets by end-of-2025 for public opening
The timeline reflects a project that has consistently pushed the boundaries of engineering while navigating a complex array of challenges.
Date/Period | Milestone |
1995 | The consultancy RITES suggests an alternate alignment for the Mumbai-Pune Expressway project after surveys |
1999 | Project delayed due to work on the widening of the existing old highway in ghats during Expressway construction |
2000 | Expressway commissioned for traffic, but with a segment missing, as a result of which it continued up a winding path along the ghats |
2009-10 | Missing Link project discussed but not executed due to lack of forest clearance |
2012 | MSRDC conducts new surveys on the Missing Link project, and issues project and feasibility reports, which remain pending for years without approvals |
2016 | Comprehensive review of surveys, reports and plans conducted |
2017 | Project approved for construction by the Maharashtra Government's Cabinet Sub Committee of Infrastructure. |
2018 | Tendering process for the project begins |
2018 | Environmental Clearance granted by the State Environmental Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA). |
2019 | Construction work commences on the ground. |
2022 | Original completion deadline, which was missed primarily due to delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. |
March 2024 | First major revised deadline, which was subsequently missed due to ongoing technical and weather-related challenges. |
2025 | Multiple deadline revisions throughout the year (January, March, May, June, August, September) reflecting the project's complexity. |
July 2025 | Project status reported at approximately 94-96% completion, with focus on the final critical structures. |
Nov-Dec 2025 | Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis directs MSRDC to accelerate work and target an opening by the end of the year. |
December 2025 | The latest official projected completion date announced by MSRDC. |
The ripple effect: Quantifying the benefits of a modern corridor- The Missing Link will solidify the Mumbai-Pune-MMR region as an integrated economic powerhouse, forming a crucial part of a new economic corridor connecting Mumbai, Pune, and the Navi Mumbai International Airport.
- It will enhance trade and logistics by enabling faster, more predictable, and reliable movement of goods between Pune’s industrial zones and Mumbai’s financial centres and ports.
- The project is expected to save approximately ₹1 crore daily in fuel consumption and reduce vehicle maintenance costs through smoother, congestion-free travel.
- Improved connectivity will boost the tourism and hospitality sectors by providing easier access to popular destinations like Lonavala and Khandala, benefiting local economies.
- Real estate markets in Lonavala, Talegaon, Hinjawadi, and Wakad are already witnessing increased demand due to improved travel efficiency.
- Environmental considerations have been addressed through compensatory afforestation plans involving planting 48,000 trees.
- Use of tunnels and viaducts minimises land disruption and deforestation compared to conventional road expansion.
- The project will reduce fuel consumption, air pollution, and noise pollution in the ecologically sensitive ghat region by eliminating stop-and-go traffic.
Moreover, the Fadnavis government has envisioned a robust statewide infrastructure grid designed to connect Maharashtra’s key economic regions and foster balanced regional growth. In line with this vision is an integrated expressway network that enhances connectivity and supports economic development.
The key components of this infrastructure grid include Atal Setu (Mumbai Trans-Harbour Link), which helps to decongest Mumbai by linking Navi Mumbai, the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport, and the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, thus facilitating smoother transit across the region.
Together, these projects, along with other expressways such as the Samruddhi Mahamarg, form the backbone of Maharashtra’s expressway network. This drives forward the Fadnavis government’s goal of creating an interconnected, efficient infrastructure grid that catalyses economic growth across the state.