Mumbai-Pune Old Highway Expansion: The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) has invited tenders to hire consultants for the proposed six-lane expansion of the Old Mumbai-Pune Highway (NH-48). The chosen firm will draw up the detailed project plan and check whether the whole thing is feasible. Officials expect the tender process to wrap up soon, and actual work on the blueprint should start sometime in early 2027.

The project is likely to cost somewhere between Rs 5,000 crore and Rs 6,000 crore. To recover that money, MSRDC is looking at extending the toll collection period on the highway. The current concession ends in 2035, but they are considering adding another 10 to 15 years, which could keep the tolls running until 2045 or even 2050.

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Here are the key things one should know about this upcoming project.

How Will Highway Expansion Project Benefit Commuters

The Mumbai-Pune old highway expansion project will help to ease traffic jams on the highway, further relaxing pressure off the adjacent Mumbai-Pune Expressway. The expansion have been planned for a 111-kilometre stretch from Nigdi to Shilphata.

Currently, the old highway witnesses a traffic pressure of about 70,000 vehicles daily, which exceeds its current 4-lane capacity of 40,000.

According to the plan, the project will add new bypasses and routes around the Lonavala and Khandala Ghat sections.

Alternative Routes For Commuters

Drivers hoping to skip the traffic while the Old Mumbai–Pune Highway (NH-48) is being widened to six lanes can take alternative routes between the two cities. The main alternative routes suggested are:

Mumbai–Pune Expressway: This is the primary and most direct alternative route to NH-48, which takes upto 2 hours 50 minutes under normal traffic. The main advantage of taking this route is that one can totally bypass the widening work on the old highway.

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The Eastern Connector: Atal Bihari Vajpayee Trans Harbour Link (MTHL) Route- Those travelling from South or Central Mumbai, can take the MTHL (Sewri to Chirle) that connects to NH 348 and merges onto the Mumbai–Pune Expressway.

Karjat–Muri-Talegaon Route (Bypassing Lonavala Ghats): Commuters can turn from Navi Mumbai toward Chowk via Karjat then Kasara Ghat / Matheran foothills to Khandala or can travel internally through rural state highways entering Talegaon.

NH-66 to Khopoli-Pali Route: Take the Mumbai-Goa Highway (NH-66) towards Pen or Pali, then use the connecting state highways to reach Pune through the western rural areas.