Mumbai–Pune Missing Link deadline pushed to May, work nears completion

After years of delays and construction challenges through hills, valleys and dense forests, the work on Missing Link on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway is nearing completion, but its opening has been pushed to May 2026. The Rs 6,695-crore project between Khopoli and Kusgaon promises to bypass the winding Khandala Lonavala ghat section, offering motorists a shorter, safer and faster alternative between Mumbai and Pune.

At present, vehicles on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway must pass through the Lonavala and Khandala ghat section, a steep and winding stretch that is both accident prone and heavily congested.

The 19.8 km stretch between Khopoli on the Mumbai side and Kusgaon near the Sinhgad Institute includes sharp curves and inclines that slow traffic and pose safety risks. Traffic volumes surge on weekends and holidays as tourists head to the hill stations, often leading to long traffic snarls and delays. The Missing Link is designed to bypass this vulnerable ghat section entirely.

The Missing Link offers a largely straight alignment, shortening the ghat section from 19.8 km to 13.3 km. By cutting nearly 6 km from the route, the project is expected to reduce travel time between Mumbai and Pune by about 30 minutes.

To prevent bottlenecks, the approach road from the Mumbai side has been widened from six lanes to eight lanes, allowing smoother traffic dispersal onto the new alignment and reducing spillover congestion from Lonavala and Khandala.

Once operational, travel time between Mumbai and Pune via Vashi is expected to drop from around 3.5 hours to about 3 hours. For motorists using the Atal Setu from South Mumbai, the journey to Pune could reduce from roughly 3 hours to 2.5 hours.

The project begins at the Khopoli exit with a 900-metre-long viaduct bridge, standing about 60 metres above the ground. This leads directly into the first tunnel, which cuts through a hill for 1.64 km.

The most complex segment follows: a 650-metre-long cable-stayed bridge spanning the Tiger Valley. Two 180-metre high pylons support parallel bridges, reducing the need for pillars plunging nearly 184 metres into the valley below and enhancing structural stability.

After the bridge, the road enters a second tunnel measuring 8.92 km in length. This final stretch carries traffic directly to Kusgaon on the Pune side, completing the Missing Link.

Work on the Missing Link began in 2019 and was originally scheduled for completion in 2022. The project has faced repeated delays due to the Covid pandemic and significant engineering challenges.

While the opening was earlier expected in early 2026, it has now been pushed to May 1, 2026. According to officials, only finishing works remain. “A 40-metre portion of the 650-metre cable-stayed bridge, which forms the connector between the stays, is still pending. Once the deck slab is completed, bitumen asphalt will be laid. Some minor works are also left,” an official from the MSRDC said.

Constructing the Missing Link involved tunnelling through hills and building bridges across deep valleys surrounded by dense forests. At the 185-metre height of the cable stayed bridge, wind pressure posed a major challenge, requiring extensive design simulations, wind tunnel testing, fatigue analysis and tensile strength tests, many of which were conducted abroad. Heavy rainfall in the region further complicated construction.

Tunnel construction brought its own difficulties. Large quantities of excavated rock had to be disposed of, while a section of the second tunnel passes nearly 180 metres beneath Lonavala lake, making blasting and safety management particularly complex. Ensuring adequate oxygen supply for hundreds of workers inside the tunnels was another critical challenge.

As the project nears completion, it is being equipped with advanced safety and traffic management systems, including water mist fire suppression inside tunnels, an integrated traffic control system, variable speed limit signage, automatic number plate recognition cameras and a voice evacuation system.

Sabah Virani is a journalist with The Indian Express’ Mumbai bureau, covering infrastructure, housin... Read More