Mumbai To Pune In 90 Minutes Only! Union Minister Nitin Gadkari Announces Formation Of New Mumbai-Pune Highway

Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari has announced the construction of a new highway between Mumbai and Pune that will slash travel time between the two major cities to just 1.5 hours. The announcement was made during the Lokmanya Tilak National Award ceremony in Pune on Monday.

Gadkari revealed that this new corridor is part of a massive infrastructure push in and around Pune, with projects worth ₹2 lakh crore currently underway. He said the new highway is designed to ease congestion on existing expressways and facilitate faster, safer travel for commuters and freight vehicles.

Foundation for ₹15,000 Crore Projects in Two Weeks

"In my previous visit, I had declared that the Union Government would undertake road and highway construction projects worth ₹50,000 crore in Pune district. I have now asked Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar to hold a foundation-laying function within 15 days, where work on ₹15,000 crore worth of projects will begin," said Gadkari.

He further added that by December 2025, additional infrastructure work valued at ₹50,000 crore will kick off. Feasibility studies for another ₹15,000 crore in projects are also in progress.

Challenges and Economic Potential

Gadkari acknowledged that land acquisition-especially for the Pune airport expansion-remains a significant hurdle. However, he maintained that the road and highway projects will bring long-term economic benefits, including improved logistics, investment inflow, and employment generation in the region.

The new Mumbai-Pune highway, in particular, is seen as a game-changer, reducing travel time from nearly five hours on congested routes to just 90 minutes.

Cost-Efficiency and Execution

A private company had proposed a ₹3,600 crore project to revamp the existing Mumbai-Pune Expressway, but the proposal was rejected due to high costs. "The state government will now undertake the construction, ensuring better cost control and efficiency," Gadkari explained.

Legacy of Atal Setu

Nitin Gadkari also reflected on his first term as a Union minister when he conceptualized the Atal Setu bridge. The project came to life under the leadership of Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy CM Eknath Shinde, and now serves as a key example of successful infrastructure execution.