Bengaluru to Mumbai, Pune in 7 hours, thanks to this new expressway: Report

 

The new expressway between Bengaluru, Pune and Mumbai will reduce travel time between the cities to just seven hours.

Frequent travellers between India's silicon valley Bengaluru and financial capital Mumbai are in for good news. Bengaluru is all set to get another expressway, increasing its proximity to two major cities of neighbouring Maharashtra - Mumbai and Pune.

The Pune - Bengaluru expressway will reduce travel distance between the three cities by 95 kilometres, The Times of India reported. It will take seven hours to travel between the cities. The expressway will stretch across 699 kilometres, and is estimated to cost around ₹50,000 crore.

Seeing as a preliminary survey has been done and a detailed project report (DPR) is being drawn up, authorities are expected to submit a final proposal to build the expressway to NHAI in December, after which land acquisition and construction will begin. Given the proposal is approved, the expressway is expected to be opened to the public in 2028.

The project also covers 12 districts, of which nine are in Karnataka and three in Maharashtra. They are Bengaluru Rural, Belagavi, Bagalkot, Gadag, Koppal, Vijayanagara (Ballari), Davanagere, Chitradurga, Tumakuru, Pune, Satara and Sangli.

The corridor starts from Kanjale on the proposed Pune Ring road and ends at Muthagadahalli on the proposed Satellite Ring Road in Bangalore Metropolitan Region, the report added.

The project is likely to boost trade as decongestion will invite commercial establishments on the highway. It is also set to host abundant infrastructures such as 55 flyovers, tree plantation on both sides of the expressway, and a 15-metre median for prospective widening in the future.

The highway will also be a treat for the eyes as it spans across 10 river crossings, crossing over the Krishna, Tungabhadra and many other rivers.