Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari announced a major road infrastructure push in and around Pune worth Rs 500 billion (Rs 50,000 crore). The programme is intended to tackle worsening traffic congestion and foundation stone ceremonies for several projects are expected within the next 15 days. Officials presented the package as among the largest recent investments for the region and said it will focus on improving urban mobility and industrial access across Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad. One of the largest schemes is a 54-kilometre elevated and independent corridor between Pune and Shirur on the Pune–Ahilyanagar highway, estimated at Rs 75.15 bn. The corridor will include nearly 31 kilometres of flyover structures and is designed to separate local and highway traffic, which should ease severe congestion along the route. Authorities indicated that the link will also strengthen access to the Ranjangaon industrial belt and cut travel time between Pune and Shirur. The Centre has approved an elevated corridor on the Pune–Solapur route between Hadapsar and Yavat, covering about 31 kilometres to relieve pressure on a busy entry and exit corridor. A new greenfield expressway connecting Pune and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar is included in the plan, at an estimated cost of Rs 163.18 bn, and is expected to reduce journey time between the cities to around two hours while improving long distance connectivity towards Nagpur. The government has also earmarked Rs 40 bn for road works in the Talegaon–Chakan–Shikrapur industrial belt to address heavy vehicle congestion. In another major element, a double?deck or elevated corridor will be built between Nashik Phata and Khed on the Pune–Nashik highway at an estimated cost of Rs 78.08 bn, with the project expected to halve travel time towards Chakan MIDC. Officials said the combined corridors, elevated roads and expressway will strengthen industrial links, improve traffic flow and provide long term relief from congestion across the metropolitan area. The package is being positioned as a transformative infrastructure push for Pune and surrounding industrial zones.