• By Aditya Jha
  • Sat, 29 Mar 2025 03:01 PM (IST)
  • Source:JND

Mumbai-Pune Expressway Update: The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) has reportedly decided to hold the proposed widening of the Mumbai-Pune Expressway to focus on other crucial projects. The officials stated that the decision was taken after the end of the budget assembly session on Wednesday, adding that the corporation has decided to prioritise other projects amid funding constraints.

The officials stated that the proposal was not even discussed in the meeting as the corporation has decided to postpone the project. One of the officials stated that while the authority still considers the expansion as crucial, other significant projects will be completed in the upcoming months.

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"While the Mumbai-Pune Expressway expansion remains crucial, we are currently focusing on the Pune Ring Road (Rs 43,000 crore) and Jalna-Nanded Expressway projects (Rs 24,703). The construction of nine creek bridges (Rs 9,000 crore) in the Konkan region is the other project that we are very keen on," a senior MSRDC official was quoted as saying by the Times of India.

The authorities stated that the proposed widening works are estimated to cost Rs 6,000 crore, adding that it would require at least 100 hectares of land and three years of construction. However, they further stated that the total cost of the Pune Ring Road and Jalna-Nanded Expressway projects is expected to be around Rs 68,000 crore. "We are carefully balancing multiple infrastructure needs against limited financial resources," the official stated.

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However, the transport experts stated that further delays will provide more inconvenience to the commuters. They further stated that the delay in the project is also affecting the business activities on one of the state's busiest corridors.

"Each year of delay compounds the infrastructure strain," a consultant was quoted as saying by the TOI. They further stated that there were multiple road accidents on the expressway due to the less width, adding that the corporation must work on the project on a priority basis.