The Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, has shared exciting news about the reduction of travel time between Pune and Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar (formerly Aurangabad). Once the new Mumbai-Bengaluru highway is completed, the travel time between these two cities will drop to just two hours. The highway will connect to Pune via a Ring Road, speeding up journeys significantly.
New Mumbai-Bengaluru Highway
This project is part of a broader plan to ease traffic congestion in Maharashtra. The expressway will also provide direct access to the Atal Setu, also known as the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL), India’s longest sea bridge. This bridge connects Sewri in Mumbai to Navi Mumbai. From there, the road will extend to Pune and further on to Bengaluru through a ring road.
Construction of this ambitious 14-lane Mumbai-Bengaluru highway is expected to begin within the next six months. Gadkari revealed that this new route would help reduce traffic on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway by 50 per cent. He explained that the existing expressway faces significant congestion due to the high volume of vehicles.
This strategic move is expected to improve road infrastructure, benefiting both passengers and transport companies. The reduction in travel time will be a game-changer, especially for those travelling frequently between Pune and Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar.
Future Of India’s Road Infrastructure
Nitin Gadkari made these comments during an event at the COEP University of Technology. The event was held to celebrate Engineers’ Day and to honour the birth anniversary of the great Indian engineer Visvesvaraya. The university’s alumni association organised the event, and it provided a platform for Gadkari to address various topics, including the future of India’s road infrastructure and rural development.
Gadkari highlighted that around 65 per cent of India’s population still resides in rural areas, where agriculture remains the primary source of income. He stressed the importance of research and technology in agriculture. He believes that advancements in these areas are crucial to achieving India’s goal of self-sufficiency.
This new highway is not just about reducing travel time. It will contribute to the larger vision of transforming India’s road network. Gadkari’s announcement reflects the government’s commitment to improving infrastructure and enhancing connectivity between major cities. The project promises to make travel smoother, faster, and more efficient for everyone.
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Once the highway is completed, residents of Pune, Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, and Bengaluru will have better access to each other, boosting economic ties and promoting regional growth.
Cover Image Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons
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