The Maharashtra CM inaugurated the Missing Link project in Raigad district at the end of the expressway on Friday and took the drive on the road to Lonavala.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis described the 13.3 km ‘Missing Link’ project on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway as an ‘engineering marvel’ and an ‘iconic project’ when he inaugurated the much-awaited 13.3 km project on Friday.
The Mumbai-Pune Expressway flagship project has been constructed to bypass the steep mountain pass section to improve road safety and reduce travel time between the two major cities.
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Fadnavis inaugurated the missing link at Khalapur in Raigad district end of the expressway in the afternoon and then drove on the project road to Lonavala. He was accompanied by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
Here’s everything you need to know about the ‘Missing Link’ project in Maharashtra:
- The flagship project is being developed by the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC).
- The project was reportedly built at a cost $7000 Crores.
- The project includes the world’s widest road tunnel and the country’s longest cable-stayed bridge, making it one of Maharashtra’s iconic infrastructure assets, Fadnavis said. This has been listed in the Guinness Book of World Records, he said.
- Fadnavis said the missing project would act as an “economic multiplier” and help create economic value $70,000 crore by promoting investments, connectivity and industrial growth along the corridor.
- The project includes two tunnels, two bridges, and a suspension bridge over Wadi Al-Nimr. It bypasses the steep, accident-prone ghat section that witnesses frequent traffic jams, especially during weekends and public holidays.
- Fadnavis said the Missing Link project was conceptualized in 2010. However, it was stalled due to multiple objections, including concerns about the presence of a lake above the alignment.
Traffic jam and Fadnavis apologizes
While the Prime Minister inaugurated the road project for road safety and ease of traffic, a huge traffic jam was seen on the Khandala or Pur Ghat (mountain pass) section of the highway. Commuters questioned the government over the timing of the ceremony considering the school holidays and long weekend where many were stuck in traffic since early morning.
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Fadnavis then apologized to people for the inconvenience during his speech at the inauguration. He also said that completing the project, which was undertaken in rugged terrain, was a “dream come true.”
“This should not be called a missing link but a connected link. Nothing is missing. Everything is in its place,” he was quoted as saying.
