Pune-Bangalore Expressway: Route Map, Latest Updates & Construction Status

The National Highway Authority of India has stated that around 2,000 acres of Karnataka’s green fields, along with 383 acres of land covered with forest, are required for the building of the Pune Bangalore Expressway, according to a Deccan Herald story.

The study states that the project’s EIA (Environment Impact Assessment) has not yet been completed. Furthermore, 60% of the estimated 25,000 trees that have been felled, according to NHAI officials, are in Karnataka.

It is anticipated that this greenfield road will relieve traffic and congestion in this area and offer a quicker alternative to the current National Highway 48 (formerly NH4).

The future Pune Bangalore Expressway would have six lanes with access control and a top speed of 120 km/h. There would be a 95-kilometer decrease in the distance between Bangalore and Pune. The current 11 to 12 hour duration of travel from Pune to Bangalore will be shortened to 7 to 8 hours.

Route Map

Varee Budruk would be the starting point of the six-lane asphalted greenfield Bangalore Pune Expressway. 

Drought-prone regions in Satara and Sangli districts of Maharashtra will be crossed by the Pune Bangalore Expressway: Phaltan, Khandala, and Khatao in Satara district, as well as Tasgaon, Khanapur, Kavathe Mahankal villages in Sangli district.

After traveling via Tumkur, Chitradurga, Davangere, Ballari, Koppal, Gadag, Bagalkot, and Belagavi, the Pune Bangalore Expressway will link to Bangalore in Karnataka.

Read More: An Insight On The Cost Of Living In Pune 

Latest updates

The Pune-Bengaluru Expressway, an imperative part of the Bharatmala scheme, is gaining huge headway concerning land procurement. The Maharashtra and Karnataka governments acquired 2,233 and 5,456 hectares, respectively, of the total 7,689 hectares needed for the project.

In a positive turn of events, the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) has focused on facilitating the land obtaining process, which is to finish before the fiscal year.

The district collectors have appointed nodal officers to oversee and streamline the land acquisition process. By 2028, it is anticipated that the expressway will be operational. The procurement of 5,205 hectares of land in Karnataka alone features the scale and meaning of this aggressive infrastructure project.

The steady progress being made in the acquisition of land for the Pune-Bengaluru Expressway is a positive sign. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) will work together to expedite land acquisition once the clearance is obtained, which is expected in September.

Despite the fact that the project does not go through any protected areas, approximately 25,000 trees will be cut down, and efforts will be made to minimize the impact on the environment. The highway will upgrade street availability and animate financial development in the district.

Altogether, 12,355 sections of land in Karnataka and 7,166 sections of land in Maharashtra will be impacted.

The expressway will join with road networks at twenty-two locations. The plan also includes 55 flyovers, ranch on each side of the expressway, and a 15-meter median stretch in the future as it is expanded in addition to the two emergency airstrips that will be included in Pune and Bengaluru expressway.

On the two sides of the expressway, there will be estates, six Road Over Bridge (RB), 22 interlinks, 55 flyovers, and 14 Public and State Highway Intersection focal points. Interior broadening will incorporate a 100-meter option to proceed (ROW) and a middle of 15 meters.

The expressway will go through roughly ten waterways. The names of the waterways are Neera, Yerala, Agrani, Chand Stream, Krishna, Ghataprabha, Tungabhadra, Chikka Hagar, Malaprabha and Vedavati.

The Pune-Bengaluru Expressway does more than merely expedite transport. It is about to set off a chain reaction of favorable developments:

• Booming Economies

Trade between the two cities (Pune and Bengaluru) and the surrounding areas will be greatly increased by the faster and more seamless flow of products and services. This will help in economic expansion and will generate prospects for new companies.

• Enhanced Logistics

The expressway will benefit the logistics industry by making it possible for freight to be transported more quickly and effectively. All sizes of organizations will profit from this, which will also help to simplify the supply chain.

• Urbanization

The motorway has the potential to encourage urban growth along its path. It’s possible for new residential communities, business districts, and industrial hubs to develop, bringing in investments and job possibilities.

• Traveler Benefit

Shorter travel distances will encourage travelers to spend more time exploring Bengaluru and Pune. Revenue from tourism will rise as a result, and the travel and hotel industries will flourish. 

Construction Status

The project is presently in the planning and land obtaining stage. The National Expressways Authority of India (NHAI) is finishing the route arrangement and gaining land.

Major of the construction updates may not yet be available for now, but the completion is anticipated for 2028. The Mumbai-Pune Expressway will also be connected by this expressway in Pune. 

Under Bharatmala Project Phase 2, this new expressway will run parallel to National Highway 48. The proposed interstate expressway will be worked at an expense of Rs 50,000 crore under Stage II of the Prime Minister’s flagship Bharatmala project.

Pune Bangalore Expressway is one of India’s most anticipated expressways. The real estate and business sectors, in addition to the citizens of both places, will profit from this infrastructure development.

Additionally, residents of Bengaluru would have easier access to Shirdi and other major Maharashtra towns and cities, which are pilgrimage locations.

FAQs

The Pune-Bangalore Expressway will cross how many rivers?

Ten rivers, including significant ones like the Krishna and Tungabhadra, will be crossed by the highway throughout its route. 

What are the anticipated advantages of the motorway?

The highway is expected to cut the distance traveled between Bangalore and Pune by up to 95 kilometers and increase commerce and economic activity between the two cities as well as the areas around them, along with boosting the effectiveness of logistics by permitting quicker freight transportation.

As of May 2024, what stage is the project now in?

It’s currently in the early phases of the project. The Indian government’s National Highways Authority (NHAI) is completing the route and purchasing property from both private and public entities. In the upcoming years, major construction is scheduled to begin.