Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis inaugurated the long awaited Mumbai–Pune Expressway ‘Missing Link’ bridge on Friday, on the occasion of Maharashtra Day, which is the 67th anniversary of the foundation of Maharashtra as a state.
Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar were present at the event marking Maharashtra Day, which is observed as an official state holiday.
Inaugurating the bridge, Fadnavis extended greetings to citizens on the occasion of Maharashtra Day and International Workers’ Day through a social media post, highlighting the state’s development vision and prosperity.
He said that the term “missing link” should no longer be used and suggested using the term “connecting link”, adding that the new name better reflects its purpose.
Fadnavis recalled how the idea was first proposed in 2010 and claimed that the previous government cited 13 reasons to stop the project from progressing. He said the BJP-led Mahayuti government took the project forward.
A major highlight of the project is a cable-stayed bridge built along the route. The bridge stands at a height of 182 metres. According to government officials, it is among the highest bridges of its kind in the world, since it has been built over a river and is seen as a major engineering achievement.
The newly opened stretch between Khopoli and Kusgaon, which is 13 km long, is expected to cut travel time between Mumbai and Pune by 25 to 30 minutes.
The “connecting link’ project, spanning 10.5 kilometres, is designed to bypass the existing accident-prone ghat stretch between Mumbai and Pune. It comprises two massive tunnels, a high viaduct, and a cable-stayed bridge soaring approximately 182 metres above Tiger Valley. The tunnels, measuring around 23.75 metres in width, are among the widest globally and represent a significant engineering achievement.
The “connecting link” aims to provide a straighter, faster and safer route by reducing the hazardous travel through the hillside winding road section near Lonavala.
Once fully operational, the “connecting link” is expected to reduce travel time between Mumbai and Pune, while also helping save fuel and bring environmental benefits. The Guinness World Records certification has placed the project on the global map and highlighted the scale of infrastructure development being carried out on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway.
According to a tweet posted on the Chief Minister’s Office X account, a tunnel, measuring 22.33 metres in width, has been constructed as part of the Yashwantrao Chavan Mumbai-Pune Expressway Capacity Augmentation project.
Constructing the route involved overcoming extreme conditions, including heavy monsoon rains, strong winds reaching up to 70 km per hour and complex mountainous terrain.
A particularly challenging aspect was building the roadway nearly 182 metres below Lonavala Lake, requiring precision planning and execution. The project has been undertaken by the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation in collaboration with infrastructure firms EFCON and Navayug.
Posting a video on X, Fadnavis also paid his heartfelt tribute to martyrs who sacrificed their lives during a police firing during the historic Samyukta Maharashtra Movement agitation, which led to the formation of Maharashtra state.
Fadnavis highlighted that the Samyukta Maharashtra Movement was not just a political struggle but a mass movement driven by aspirations of millions seeking identity, unity and self-governance. He emphasised that the courage and determination shown by the leaders still continue to inspire generations.
“While there were thousands of challenges, the people of Maharashtra made sure that development progressed. Despite unfavourable conditions, Maharashtra’s development has been ongoing,” Fadnavis said.