Frequent traffic congestion and the steady rise in vehicle numbers on the Mumbai–Pune Expressway have increasingly made travel between Mumbai and Pune stressful for commuters. In a recent incident, a gas tanker overturned on the highway, leading to a massive traffic jam that lasted nearly 32 hours, severely affecting motorists. This key route is widely used for intercity travel, but the mounting pressure has highlighted the urgent need for an alternative. To address this issue, the state government has initiated plans to develop a new highway that will help ease congestion and improve connectivity between major regions.
The proposed highway will originate from Neral and Karjat in Raigad district and connect to Shirur on the Pune–Ahilyanagar highway. This route is expected to provide a convenient travel option for vehicles arriving from various parts of the state. The decision was taken during a meeting of the Infrastructure Committee chaired by Devendra Fadnavis. During the meeting, the committee granted in-principle approval to several significant projects, including the Neral–Shirur alternative highway. The Chief Minister also instructed officials to proceed with necessary approvals and financial provisions required for the timely execution of the project.
Considering the increasing traffic load and future rise in vehicle numbers, discussions were also held regarding technical aspects of the proposed road. Plans include constructing a six-lane elevated corridor along with a four-lane at-grade road between Pune and Shirur. Additionally, key infrastructure projects such as connectivity nodes linking the Atal Setu, the Mumbai–Goa Highway, and the existing expressway were reviewed. Land acquisition processes, approvals, and funding arrangements for these interconnected developments were also discussed in detail during the meeting.
The new Neral–Shirur highway is expected to be developed as a four-lane road with an estimated cost of around ₹1,200 crore. Once completed, it will establish direct connectivity between Navi Mumbai, Karjat, and Pune, significantly improving regional transport efficiency. The project is likely to boost industrial and logistics growth, especially benefiting goods transportation. Currently, the journey between Neral and Shirur takes around three to three-and-a-half hours, but the new corridor is expected to reduce travel time considerably. Moreover, it will ease the burden on the expressway and encourage the development of new industrial zones in Karjat, Shirur, and nearby areas.