Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari has highlighted the durability and engineering quality of the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, saying the landmark highway remains in excellent condition nearly three decades after its construction.
Speaking about high-standard road infrastructure, Gadkari said he was directly involved in spearheading the expressway project 27 years ago during his tenure in Maharashtra. He said the road has maintained its structural integrity despite heavy daily traffic and varying weather conditions over the years.
"Twenty-seven years ago, I constructed the Mumbai-Pune Expressway. The road is still in great shape and has not yet developed a single pothole. Positive news like this, though, is never reported," the Union Minister said while addressing the Festival of Thinkers lecture series in Pune on Monday.
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Gadkari also spoke about the Missing Link project, saying the Forest Department had refused to permit its construction during his tenure. The project was later built by the Maharashtra government, but Gadkari said he came under criticism on social media when problems with the road emerged.
He said social media has also helped improve quality control by allowing authorities to quickly identify and locate problems on roads.
Gadkari further said the government has developed vehicles that are connected directly to satellites and can provide detailed information about road conditions. He stressed that technology and artificial intelligence are increasingly important in infrastructure development, with AI being used to detect defects more quickly.
While addressing the gathering, Gadkari said Pune is set to witness an infrastructure push involving projects worth Rs 60,000 crore over the next two years as authorities seek to address growing pressure on the city's urban transport network.
Pune has emerged as a major hub for IT, manufacturing and employment, but rapid growth has also contributed to traffic congestion, longer commute times and pressure on civic infrastructure.
Major Infrastructure Projects
- Shirur-Pune: A project worth Rs 31,400 crore.
- Hadapsar-Yavat: A project worth Rs 5,000 crore.
- Talegaon-Chakan-Shikrapur: A 53-km project worth Rs 4,000 crore, with work already underway.
- Pune-Aurangabad Express Highway: Gadkari said it was his "dream" for people to travel from Pune to Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar in two hours. A tender for the project was issued a day earlier.
- Khed-Nashik Phata: An Rs 8,000 crore project currently under construction.
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Gadkari said travel between Mumbai and Pune used to take six to seven hours, but the Mumbai-Pune Expressway reduced the journey to around two to two-and-a-half hours. He also said people would have to pay tolls for high-quality roads.
He further remarked that development projects often face obstacles from people who consider themselves highly knowledgeable. However, he said solutions must be found regardless of the challenges involved.
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