The “missing link” project on the Mumbai-Pune expressway is nearing completion and is scheduled to be unveiled by July 2024.
The 12.1-kilometre-long Missing Link project, is an alternative route that bypasses the 19 km Khandala ghat section of the Expressway and comprises two sets of twin tunnels, and two viaducts, one of which is a cable-stayed bridge.
Once completed, those driving from Mumbai to Pune will get on to the ‘missing link’ stretch at Khopoli, bypass the expressway and drive 840 metre on a viaduct, before entering Tunnel 1 (1.75 km long).
Once out of this tunnel, vehicles will cover 640 metres on a cable-stayed viaduct bridge, before entering Tunnel 2, which is 8.9 km long. A part of this tunnel plunges around 170 feet below the ground, under the Lonavala lake, to finally emerge on the Sinhgad Institute side.
The Rs 6,695-crore project, undertaken by the Maharashtra State Road Development (MSRDC) will shorten the distance between Mumbai and Pune by more than 6km and cut travel time by approximately 30 minutes.
This reduction will yield substantial savings in terms of fuel consumption and carbon emissions, as the ghat section currently consumes fuel due to uphill travel and traffic congestion.
The construction work of the Missing Link project is at 71 per cent complete with the tunnel works nearing the 90 per cent milestone. The construction of the bridge section is being carried out by Afcons, while Navayuga Engineering, a prominent infrastructure company, has taken up the responsibility of tunnel construction.
Once open to traffic, the missing link will prevent bottlenecks at Khandala, providing for a seamless travelling experience on India’s first Expressway.
Many Firsts
- World’s widest Tunnel: Two sets of twin tunnels, each 23.75 metre wide
- India’s highest cable-stayed road bridge – the bridge will be at a height of 132 metre from ground level, which will be the highest for any road project in the country.