67% of Atal Setu-Mumbai-Pune Expressway connector complete, MMRDA says

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) said on Monday, November 9, that 67 per cent of the physical work on the 7.35-km elevated corridor connecting the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (Atal Setu) to the Mumbai-Pune Expressway has been completed.

Once the six-lane connector opens, the journey from South Mumbai to Pune is estimated to become 60 to 90 minutes shorter. It is being built so that vehicles can bypass the congested Panvel main junction. Access to the Navi Mumbai International Airport, the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) and other major destinations will also improve.

The project is being built in two packages, Chirle and Palaspe. Work on foundations, piers, the elevated structure and the road is under way at both.

Since Atal Setu opened, travel between Mumbai and Navi Mumbai has become easier. But vehicles heading towards Pune, Goa and JNPA still pass through existing routes around Panvel, where traffic from several highways converges. This puts additional pressure on Panvel's road network. By creating a direct link between Atal Setu and the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, the connector will address this gap.

The elevated corridor is being built at the third level above existing roads and bridges. According to the MMRDA, this arrangement will keep congestion at the junctions below from affecting traffic above.

The MMRDA said foundation work in the Chirle package is complete, with 113 piles and 42 open foundations built. Pier work is 98 per cent complete, with 153 of the 155 piers erected. Girder casting and fabrication in this package are nearly complete. Deck slab work is 49 per cent done, covering 117 of 240 spans. Casting of reinforced earth wall panels is 90 per cent complete and the railway overbridge is 85 per cent complete.

In the Palaspe package, pile-group foundation work is 71 per cent complete, with 15 of 21 groups built. Pier casting has reached 38 per cent, while girder casting is complete. Work on reinforced earth wall panels is 90 per cent complete and construction of the railway overbridge is continuing.

Besides cutting travel time between Mumbai and Pune, the connector will also ease traffic towards the Navi Mumbai International Airport and major industrial and logistics hubs. It will improve links between the Mumbai-Pune Expressway and the Mumbai-Goa highway and reduce pressure on the Panvel main junction. It is also expected to help movement on National Highway 48, which connects Mumbai, Pune and Bengaluru, and on NH-348, which leads to JNPA. Both passenger and freight movement in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region are expected to benefit.

The project is part of the MMRDA's "Mumbai in 59 Minutes" plan, which aims to improve regional connectivity through a connected network of metro corridors, expressways, tunnels, ring roads and other road links.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the connector would strengthen links between the state's major economic centres and improve logistics efficiency. He said: "Maharashtra's economic progress depends on how efficiently we connect our cities, industries, ports and emerging growth centres. Atal Setu has already transformed connectivity between Mumbai and Navi Mumbai. The Mumbai-Pune Expressway connector will take this change forward and create a fast and uninterrupted route between two of Maharashtra's most important economic centres. By cutting travel time, improving logistics efficiency and strengthening regional access, we are building infrastructure that supports economic growth, attracts investment and improves citizens' quality of life. Our vision is a Maharashtra where infrastructure becomes a means to opportunity, productivity and balanced regional development."

Deputy Chief Minister and MMRDA chairman Eknath Shinde said the project aims to take the benefits of Atal Setu to Pune, Goa and other places. He said: "Our emphasis has always been on ensuring that big infrastructure projects give the common commuter a tangible benefit. Atal Setu has brought Mumbai and Navi Mumbai closer, and this connector will carry the same benefits to Pune, Goa and other important destinations. This 7.35-km elevated corridor will cut travel time by about 60 to 90 minutes and reduce congestion around Panvel. Every minute saved on a journey means more time for families, more convenience for commuters and better efficiency for business. Through such strategic connectivity projects, the MMRDA is working to make travel faster, easier and more convenient across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region."

MMRDA Metropolitan Commissioner Dr Sanjay Mukherjee said significant progress has been made on the project's key structural components, especially in the Chirle package. He said the connector would help distribute traffic more efficiently and reduce pressure on existing junctions.