Maharashtra Public Works Department (PWD) Minister Eknath Shinde on Monday has symbolically inaugurated the tunnel work for a six kilometers 'missing' link of the Mumbai-Pune Expressway. The plan foresees building twin tunnels to reduce the 19-kilometer distance of the expressway between Khopoli Exit to Sinhgad Institute by 6 kilometers, said the officials. However, there are already separate tunnels for traffic in both directions and a total of five tunnels of International Standard in the expressway. Two private firms were given tenders for the tunneling in August last year. The width of the tunnel is 24 meters, which is amongst the widest in the world. Shinde further stated that commuting between two of Maharashtra's biggest cities would ease out seemingly once the link is ready in three year's time.

Shinde took to Twitter to announce the commencement of the project-

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The estimated cost 

Speaking about the expenditure on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway project, the officials said that the estimated cost for the same will be around Rs. 6,695 crore. The project will also have a 900-meter bridge and a cable-stayed structure of 650 meters, officials added. The Mumbai-Pune Expressway is presently a a 6-lane cement concrete road with a length of 94 kilometers. It meets National Highway 4 at the Khalapur Toll Plaza and separates near the Khandala exit. The stretch on which the Expressway and Highway meets is a bottle-neck as the vehicles from the two major roads converge on a narrow connector, prompting authorities to think of the 'missing' link. 

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About Mumbai-Pune Expressway

The Mumbai-Pune Expressway became fully operationalised in the year 2002. The then Maharashtra government gave the contract to the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) in March 1997 on a build-operate-transfer basis with toll collection rights for a certain time period. It is India's first six-lane access control expressway with a speedy completion work. The project has also proposed fencing on both sides of the Expressway for the safety of the traffic compound wall.

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(With Inputs from PTI)