Mumbai-Pune route to have 22-m-wide road tunnels by 2021

16 Mar 2018 Editorial Team

The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) has recently invited bids for the construction of the viaducts and two 22-m-wide road tunnels on the Mumbai-Pune route. As reported, the two tunnels would be among the longest four-lane tunnels in the world. The 8.9 km tunnel would be built to decrease the time taken to commute between the two cities through the existing Mumbai-Pune Expressway (MPEW). The expected cost of the project is Rs 4,800 crore.

The tunnel will be a part of the Missing Link Project, a 19.8-km-stretch of eight-laned roads on the MPEW, which is expected to reduce distance by 6 km and the time taken by 20-25 minutes. Connecting Kusgaon village to Chavani village on the Pune side, these would be twin tunnels constructed for commuting in opposite directions. Each four-lane tunnel will be 22-m-wide and separated by a distance of 50 m.

Composed of two tunnels and two viaducts alternately, the project will also include the construction of a cable-stayed bridge in a valley in Khopoli. The bridge will be built at a height of 130 m and span 700-m-long with eight lanes.

Infrastructure Urban

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