With the 701 km long Mumbai-Nagpur Expressway nearing completion, the Maharashtra state government headed by CM Eknath Shinde and Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis is set to take up another expressway in the state, this time connecting Pune and Nagpur.

This planned expressway would be about 180 km long starting from the proposed Pune ring road near Chimbali and terminate at Shinde on National Highway-60.

While Mumbai and Pune are already connected by an expressway, the under construction Mumbai - Nagpur expressway connects Mumbai with Nashik. Thus Pune - Nashik expressway completes the remaining route among the rapidly developing ‘Golden Triangle’ region lying in between Mumbai, Nashik and Pune.

The alignment of Pune - Nashik expressway will pass through Junner, Ambegaon, Khed in Pune district, Sangamner in Nagar district and Sinnar in Nashik district, and is planned to be developed as a ten lane expressway.

“There will be flight landing and takeoff facilities on the expressway and emergency telephones at every 5 km, parking and truck bay, ambulance and towing facilities, quick response vehicles, rest area at every 50 km, including food plazas, trauma centre, IT Park, educational institutes beside the expressway. The information technology services will include free wi-fi access, traffic surveillance and enforcement, CCTV etc” an official told The Indian Express.

Beside the planned expressway, the Maharashtra government has already taken up a semi-high speed railway between Pune and Nashik.

The Maharashtra government has approved the pending Pune- Nashik railway project in annual budget 2021-22.

The proposed length of the semi high speed railway line is about 235 km and 24 stations are planned on the route. The speed of the train will be 200 km per hour and the expected cost of the project, which includes building 18 tunnels, is Rs 16,039 crore.

The Pune-Nashik Semi-High speed Rail line will pass through three districts of Maharashtra, i.e. Pune, Ahmednagar and Nasik.