India is making steady progress in expanding and evolving its roads, highways, and expressways to reach the most remote parts of the country.
The Mumbai-Pune Expressway is arguably the oldest of its kind and also one of the most significant achievements. This expressway took 22 years to build. It is the oldest expressway in India and also possibly the fastest, costliest, and highest revenue-earning expressway, according to a Zee News report. This highway is about more than just being a road; it is about India’s journey towards becoming a modern nation in infrastructure and economic development.
Which is India’s most profitable expressway? And why?
The Mumbai-Pune expressway is one of the oldest expressways in India. It was constructed during Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s tenure and was formally opened in 2002. It is to be noted that the whole project took almost 22 years to complete, with parts opened to traffic as early as 2000.
How has this expressway impacted travel time between key cities?
The greatest characteristic of the expressway is the time it saves. It drastically reduces the lag time of travel from Mumbai to Pune. It has established an important roadway link for commuting and commercial trade, marking a significant growth in India’s road infrastructure.
How much did its construction cost?
Mumbai-Pune Expressway is the most expensive expressway in the country. The Mumbai-Pune Expressway is India’s first six-lane expressway. It connects Mumbai, the financial capital of India, to Pune. The expressway is 94.5 kilometers long and is India’s most expensive expressway. The total cost of construction was a whopping Rs 16,300 crore.
What is the toll tax of Mumbai-Pune Expressway ?
Besides being the most expensive, the Mumbai-Pune Expressway is also one of the highest-revenue-generating roads in the country. After navigating other tolls throughout their journey, travelers should ensure there is substantial money left in their FASTag, as the single-trip toll for cars reportedly is Rs 336, ZeeNews reported. This is about Rs 3.40 a kilometer. That is an increase of Rs 1 per kilometer from the national average toll of Rs 2.40/km for other expressways. In revenue, the Mumbai-Pune Expressway is not only an important route, but also the most profitable roadway in India.
Starting from Kalamboli in Navi Mumbai, the expressway terminates at Kiwale in Pune. It was built by Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC). With the opening of the expressway, the travel time between Mumbai and Pune went down drastically. In the past, it took approximately 3 hours to travel between the two cities, and now it only takes 1 hour! The speed limit on the expressway is 100 km/h. According to the IRB Infrastructure Trust, the Mumbai-Pune Expressway achieved its highest toll amount in December 2024, generating a massive Rs 163 crore in revenue that month alone, underlining its importance as one of India’s busiest and most profitable expressways.
Earlier, IRB Infra Trust’s data reported the highest toll collected in December 2024 was on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway.During this period, the toll collection amounted to Rs 580 crore, with the Mumbai-Pune Expressway alone contributing Rs 163 crore, the highest for any expressway. For reference, the total toll collected from the Mumbai-Pune Expressway in December 2023, was ₹158.4 crore, thus a one year jump.