Pune: A major development is set to significantly cut down the travel time between Mumbai and Pune. Currently, the journey via the Mumbai-Pune Expressway takes around four hours, often extending further due to heavy traffic congestion.

However, a new highway project spearheaded by the central government aims to bring this time down to just one and a half hours.

Union Minister of Transport Nitin Gadkari announced the plan while addressing an event commemorating the birth anniversary of Dr. Nanasaheb Parulekar.

He revealed that the new highway will ease traffic flow between the two cities and beyond, making intercity travel much faster and more efficient.

Reflecting on the construction of the existing Mumbai-Pune Expressway, Gadkari said, "When we initially built the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, we didn’t have the necessary funds, so we executed the project on a BOT (Build, Operate, and Transfer) basis.

But as traffic congestion on this route worsened, we recognized the need for a new road. This led us to develop a plan for a brand-new highway that will start from the Atal Setu in Mumbai and connect to Pune's Ring Road, continuing all the way to Bengaluru."

The ambitious highway project, which is set to cost ₹45,000 crores, is expected to ease the pressure on both the old Mumbai-Pune Highway and the existing Mumbai-Pune Expressway.

The first phase of construction is slated to begin within the next month, and the entire project is projected to be completed within three years. Once completed, motorists will be able to travel from Mumbai to Pune in just one and a half hours, dramatically reducing the current travel time.