Connecting urban centers with regional hubs across Maharashtra is set to take a leap forward with the state cabinet giving official approval to a new greenfield expressway between Kalyan and Latur. Spanning approximately 450 kilometers, this major transportation artery is designed to slash travel duration between the two cities from the current 11 hours down to just 4.5 to 5 hours, bringing substantial relief to passenger and freight transit.
Route Alignment and Core Regional Links
The proposed highway starts north of the Badlapur tunnel currently being constructed under the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway. Moving across the state, it extends all the way to Latur situated near the Maharashtra-Karnataka border. Moving forward, the expressway will connect directly into the wider Mumbai Metropolitan Region network, lying close to the Nagpur-Goa Shaktipeeth Expressway and establishing seamless high-speed access across these critical zones.
An Eight-Kilometer Tunnel Through Malshej Ghat
The defining civil engineering feature of the corridor lies in the rugged terrain of Malshej Ghat, where an eight-kilometer-long tunnel is planned. Engineered on the lines of the twin tunnels constructed near Igatpuri on the Samruddhi Expressway, this segment is designed to overcome sharp curves and steep gradients where vehicular movement typically slows down. By cutting directly through the challenging topography, the tunnel provides an unhindered, stable path through one of the most difficult stretches of the journey.
Project Outlay and Road Infrastructure Features
Building this 450-kilometer corridor is estimated to cost between 22 and 25 thousand crore rupees. To enable regulated access across several junctions, the blueprint incorporates a total of 17 interchanges along the route. The primary significance of the expressway stems not merely from its physical length, but from its ability to bypass historically difficult mountain sections and transform them into a modern expressway corridor.
Integration With Economic Corridors and Coastal Transit
Beyond cutting intercity transit times, the project strengthens interconnections across two major expressways. It is also slated to link directly with the Virar-Alibaug Multimodal Corridor, which will facilitate effortless travel toward the Navi Mumbai Airport and Atal Setu. Furthermore, the route will intersect the Surat-Chennai Economic Corridor taking shape across Marathwada, creating rapid logistics linkages for trade and regional manufacturing.
