# Maharashtra Clears Kalyan to Latur Expressway Featuring Eight Kilometer Tunnel at Malshej Ghat > Maharashtra Cabinet approves a 450 km Kalyan-Latur expressway that reduces travel duration from 11 hours to just 5 hours and features a major tunnel at Malshej Ghat. **Type:** article · **Category:** Maharashtra · **Published:** 2026-09-19 · **Source:** TrendKia **Canonical:** https://trendkia.com/en/maharashtra/kalyan-se-latur-taka-naya-eksapresave-ghataega-saphara-ka-samaya-malshej-ghat-para-banegi-atha-kilomitara-lnbi-tanala-33821 · **Language:** English **Tags:** Kalyan Latur Expressway, Maharashtra Road Project, Malshej Ghat Tunnel, Badlapur Tunnel, Samruddhi Expressway, Maharashtra Cabinet 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. ## What this means for you The Kalyan-Latur expressway will reduce travel time between the Mumbai Metropolitan Region and Marathwada by more than half. - **Across Maharashtra:** Commuters travelling between Kalyan, Mumbai, and Marathwada will see journey times drop from 11 hours to just 4.5 to 5 hours. This drastic cut in transit duration will streamline freight logistics and provide farmers and businesses with faster market access. - **In Kalyan and Thane Region:** Starting north of Badlapur tunnel, the expressway provides immediate access to an uninterrupted high-speed route. Commuters bypass severe congestion and dangerous sharp turns through conventional ghat passes. - **In Latur and Marathwada:** The route provides agricultural produce and regional trade with swift transit toward Mumbai export points and coastal infrastructure. It will spur regional industrial growth and enhance connectivity near the Karnataka border. - **Airport and Coastal Transit Access:** Direct integration with the Virar-Alibaug corridor will allow seamless travel to Navi Mumbai Airport and Atal Setu. Commuters from interior regions can access key transport hubs without navigating crowded interior city roads. ## Why this happened The Maharashtra Cabinet approved this project to create high-speed transport infrastructure linking remote agricultural belts directly to primary commercial centers. - **Challenging Ghat Geography:** Existing transit through Malshej Ghat involves steep gradients and sharp bends that drastically limit traffic speed and create heavy congestion. Building an eight-kilometer tunnel directly bypasses these physical hurdles. - **Prolonged Travel Duration:** Commuting the 450-kilometer distance between Kalyan and Latur currently takes nearly 11 hours. A designated expressway was required to bring this down to an efficient 4.5 to 5 hours. - **Need for Integrated Regional Corridors:** Interconnecting the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway link, the upcoming Virar-Alibaug Multimodal Corridor, and the Surat-Chennai route required a central connector across Marathwada. ## Questions & Answers ### 1. What is the total length of the Kalyan-Latur Expressway? The planned expressway will span approximately 450 kilometers in length. ### 2. How much travel time will be saved once the expressway is ready? The travel time between Kalyan and Latur will drop from 11 hours down to roughly 4.5 to 5 hours. ### 3. Where does the expressway originate and terminate? It begins north of the Badlapur tunnel on the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway and terminates at Latur near the Maharashtra-Karnataka border. ### 4. What is the length of the tunnel planned at Malshej Ghat? An eight-kilometer tunnel will be constructed at Malshej Ghat, modeled after the Igatpuri twin tunnel on the Samruddhi Expressway. ### 5. What is the estimated budget for building this expressway? The construction cost for this highway project is estimated between 22 and 25 thousand crore rupees. ### 6. How many interchanges are planned along the route? A total of 17 interchanges will be constructed along the 450-kilometer corridor. ### 7. Which major projects will this route interconnect with? It will connect with the Virar-Alibaug Multimodal Corridor, Navi Mumbai Airport, Atal Setu, and the Surat-Chennai Economic Corridor. --- _TrendKia — Har trend, sabse pehle.. Machine-readable view; canonical HTML at the URL above._