- By Priyanka Koul
- Sat, 02 May 2026 04:18 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Mumbai-Pune Expressway: The long-awaited Missing Link on the Mumbai-Pune Motorway was officially inaugurated by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday, completing a critical section of one of India’s busiest motorway corridors.
The Mumbai-bound carriageway of the newly constructed link was opened to traffic on Saturday afternoon after a brief delay caused by dismantling inauguration infrastructure and post-event cleaning, a day after the Pune-bound section became operational.
For years, the Borghat stretch along the Mumbai-Pune route has been a major challenge for commuters due to its narrow lanes, sharp bends, steep slopes, and unpredictable weather conditions, often causing traffic snarls of up to two hours during peak periods. The new 13.3-km Missing Link offers an alternative route between Khopoli and Kusgaon, bypassing the most difficult stretch and significantly easing congestion.
The 13.3-km-long "missing link", which bypasses a section of the Bhor Ghat stretch of the motorway, is expected to reduce travel time between Mumbai and Pune by 25 to 30 minutes. It was inaugurated a day earlier by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in the presence of Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Sunetra Pawar.
An official from the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation told PTI on Saturday that the opening of the Mumbai-bound carriageway was delayed mainly due to the dismantling of inauguration infrastructure and subsequent cleaning work.
The motorway control room said that despite significant vehicular movement, the access-controlled highway has not witnessed any major traffic snarls since Friday evening, after the Pune-bound carriageway of the missing link was opened to traffic.
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The Missing Link project connects Khopoli (in Raigad) on the Mumbai side to Kusgaon near Lonavala in Pune district and is expected to make the motorway fully access-controlled, easing congestion in the ghat section.
More importantly, it decreases travel time between Mumbai and Pune by roughly 20 to 30 minutes under normal traffic conditions.
Authorities have confirmed that there will be no additional toll charges for using the Missing Link. However, in its initial phase (six-month period), only light motor vehicles and buses will be allowed on this route, while heavy vehicles will continue to use the existing ghat section.