The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved a six-lane Greenfield National Highway project in Maharashtra, aimed at improving connectivity between JNPA Port (Pagote) and Chowk. 

With a total investment of Rs 45 billion, the 29.219 km expressway will be developed under the Build, Operate, and Transfer (BOT) model and aligns with the PM GatiShakti National Master Plan, which focuses on integrated infrastructure development. 

The project was proposed due to rising container traffic at JNPA Port and anticipated growth in travel demand following the opening of Navi Mumbai International Airport. Currently, the two- to three-hour travel time between JNPA Port, NH-48, and the Mumbai-Pune Expressway is hindered by congestion at key points like Palaspe Phata, D-Point, Kalamboli Junction, and Panvel, where 180,000 passenger car units (PCU) transit daily. 

The new highway will connect NH-48 (Mumbai-Pune Highway) with NH-348 (JNPA Port, Pagote village) and provide links to NH-66 (Mumbai-Goa Highway) and the Mumbai-Pune Expressway. To facilitate smoother transit for heavy commercial vehicles, two tunnels will bypass steep ghat sections in the Sahyadri hills. 

This expressway is expected to enhance freight efficiency, improve port connectivity, and drive economic growth in the Mumbai-Pune region. 

Meanwhile, the Rs 500 billion Pune-Bengaluru Expressway is set to cut travel time from 15 hours to just 7 hours. Spanning 700 km, this high-speed corridor will offer a faster and more efficient alternative to NH-48, significantly boosting connectivity for commuters and businesses alike. 

(trak)