Pune's Elevated Dream: ₹7,515 Crore Highway Takes Flight.

Work on the 53.4 km Pune-Shirur six-lane elevated highway is set to begin by mid-2025, with the Maharashtra State Infrastructure Development Corporation (MSIDC) completing the second pre-bid process for the ₹7,515-crore project.

An MSIDC official confirmed that the tendering process is progressing as planned, with construction expected to commence between June and July. The project aims to enhance connectivity, reduce travel time, and address persistent pothole issues along the existing route.

Officials anticipate awarding the contract by April or May, following financial closure. Queries from two pre-bid meetings have been resolved, with additional concerns raised via email to be addressed shortly.

Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Ajit Pawar highlighted the initiative in his 2025-26 state budget speech, emphasizing its importance for Pune’s infrastructure. Approved by the state cabinet in 2024, the project will follow the design, build, finance, operate, and transfer (DBFOT) model, requiring 41 hectares of land and an estimated four-year completion timeline.

A senior MSIDC official stated that the highway would significantly improve connectivity between Pune and Shirur, eventually linking to the Samruddhi Highway and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. Developed under a public-private partnership (PPP) model, the project will have a 30-year concession period and will be executed on a build-operate-transfer (BOT) basis, eliminating the need for state government funding.

Initially overseen by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), the project was later transferred to MSIDC after an MoU between the central and state governments in March 2024. MSIDC reissued bids following the cancellation of NHAI’s earlier tendering process.

With minimal land acquisition required, the elevated corridor will primarily follow the existing Pune-Shirur highway, incorporating improvements based on NHAI’s detailed project report.

News by Rahul Yelligetti.