9:29 Now playing Mumbai-Pune Expressway Missing Link: Full Route Drive
The Mumbai-Pune Expressway Missing Link is a 13.3 km, ₹6,695 crore bypass connecting Khopoli to Kusgaon, which officially opened on May 1, 2026, to bypass the accident-prone Khandala Ghat section. The project reduces travel distance by approximately 6 km and cuts travel time by 25–30 minutes, featuring twin tunnels (including an 8.9 km tunnel), high viaducts, and a 183-meter cable-stayed bridge.
However, the link suffered its first major disruption in July 2026 when heavy monsoon rains triggered a landslide near the exit of Tunnel 2 on the Pune-to-Mumbai carriageway. The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) attributed the damage to an "act of God" rather than construction flaws, noting that the tunnel structures remained intact while debris was cleared. The incident forced authorities to reroute Mumbai-bound traffic to the old highway and sparked opposition calls for an independent audit regarding the infrastructure's resilience to extreme weather.
