Construction Of Mumbai–Pune–Bengaluru High-Speed Expressway Underway Says Nitin Gadkari; Travel Time To Reduce To 6 Hours

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has confirmed that construction of the high-speed express highway designed to drastically cut travel times between Mumbai, Pune, and Bengaluru is already underway, during a Pune event last week.

“The work has already started. I don’t have time to lay the foundation stone," he said.

Once complete, the corridor will allow travel from Mumbai to Pune in around 90 minutes and from Pune to Bengaluru in just five hours.

The Rs 40,000 crore access-controlled greenfield expressway will stretch roughly 700 km, enabling speeds of up to 120 km/h. It will include two emergency airstrips, 55 flyovers, and 22 interchanges, improving safety and connectivity, according to The Free Press Journal.

Beginning at the Atal Tunnel in Mumbai, the route will connect to the Pune Ring Road before extending into Karnataka, passing through 12 districts in Maharashtra and Karnataka.

The project is a key part of the Bharatmala Pariyojna, overseen by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). By enhancing the movement of goods and passengers along the Mumbai–Pune–Bengaluru corridor, it is expected to stimulate regional trade, tourism, and economic growth.

In Pune district alone, road and highway works worth Rs 50,000 crore are in progress, contributing to a broader infrastructure investment of Rs 2 lakh crore.

Additional proposals totalling Rs 15,000 crore will soon be initiated, with more of the same value under review. Elevated road corridors in Pune are also planned to tackle congestion, alongside the expansion of Pune airport.

Gadkari acknowledged challenges in land acquisition, but stressed that political resolve and efficient coordination can overcome them.

Drawing from past experience, he recalled how the Mumbai–Pune Expressway was completed by the state at less than half the cost estimated by a private company.

This upcoming expressway will potentially reducing the current Mumbai–Bengaluru journey from 18 hours to just 6 hours.

Also Read: Pune To Fast-Track Road Network Expansion With Compulsory Land Acquisition For ‘Missing Links’