New speed limits and goods vehicle ban for Mumbai-Pune Expressway Missing Link from November 1

Maharashtra Traffic Police have issued permanent traffic rules for the tunnels of the Missing Link project of the Yashwantrao Chavan Mumbai-Pune Expressway. The rules will come into force on November 1, 2026, and will remain in effect until further orders.

The notification was issued by the Additional Director General of Police (Traffic). Under it, only light motor vehicles (LMV), including cars, and passenger buses and other passenger vehicles will be allowed on the Missing Link route.

All goods vehicles will be barred from the route. This includes light commercial vehicles such as pickup trucks and Tata Ace. These vehicles will have to continue using the existing Mumbai-Pune Expressway route, as before.

Vehicles carrying inflammable, explosive or other hazardous goods will also be strictly prohibited on the route. This has been done in line with tunnel safety rules and the guidelines of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH).

The restrictions aim to keep vehicle movement in the tunnel structure under control so that traffic on the new route is safer.

Speed limits have also been fixed. The maximum speed for cars and other light motor vehicles is 100 km per hour. Passenger buses and other passenger vehicles can travel at a maximum of 80 km per hour.

The notification also says that no punitive action will be taken under Section 183 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, against a vehicle travelling up to five per cent above the prescribed speed limit.

The Missing Link project aims to improve connectivity by providing an alternative route on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway through tunnels and other structures. The latest rules specify which vehicles can use the route, the speed limits and the restrictions on hazardous goods.

The traffic department has said the rules are meant to maintain discipline in traffic and to improve safety, especially inside the tunnels.