Following the inauguration ceremony, Fadnavis took the driver’s seat of a Mercedes-AMG G63 and personally drove along the newly opened stretch up to the Lonavala end. He was accompanied by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Sunetra Pawar during the symbolic journey.
The ‘Missing Link’ spans 19.8 kilometres and bypasses the heavily congested Bhor Ghat section, which has long been a bottleneck for commuters. Authorities estimate that the new alignment will reduce travel time between Mumbai and Pune by approximately 25 to 30 minutes, significantly improving traffic flow and commuter efficiency.
Engineered as a complex infrastructure project, the corridor features an 850-metre viaduct and a towering 182-metre-high cable-stayed bridge over Tiger Valley. The bridge has been designed to withstand wind speeds of up to 240 kilometres per hour, underscoring its advanced structural resilience.
The project also includes two major tunnels measuring 1.67 kilometres and 8.92 kilometres in length. The longer tunnel has achieved a global milestone by securing a Guinness World Record for being the widest underground tunnel in the world, with a width of 22.33 metres.
At present, the ‘Missing Link’ section has been opened exclusively for light vehicles and passenger buses, with restrictions in place for heavier traffic categories.
The inauguration marks a significant milestone in Maharashtra’s infrastructure development, promising faster connectivity, reduced congestion, and a modernized travel experience on one of India’s busiest expressway corridors.
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