Call it 'connecting link', says Fadnavis as he inaugurates 'Missing Link'; receives Guinness World Record for widest underground tunnel

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday inaugurated the MumbaiPune Expressway lsquoMissing Linkrsquo project and said that it should now be called as connecting link as nothing is missing and the entire stretch is fully completed and operationalHours after its inauguration the 133 kmlong Missing Link was opened for traffic with limitationsOfficials had earlier stated that from May 1 to October 31 2026 only light motor vehicles and buses will be allowed to use the Missing Link Heavy cargo vehicles will not be permitted during this period and from November 1 onwards authorities will review traffic patterns and safety data before deciding whether to allow goods vehicles on the new stretchVehicles carrying flammable or dangerous goods will be permanently barred from using the Missing Link Such vehicles will continue to use the existing routeThe officials have set firm speed limits especially inside tunnels with100 kmh for cars and80 kmh for buses They warned that even a small violationmdashexceeding the limit by more than 5 per centmdashcould lead to penaltiesProposal was revisitedSpeaking at the inaugural event CM Fadnavis explained that the project was first proposed in 2010 However after a report was prepared in 2013 the project was rejected by the previous government But when the Mahayuti government came to power the proposal was revisitedFadnavis said he personally asked officials to restudy the project and present a revised plan Following this the government decided to move forward with construction leading to the completion seen todayLIVE Dev_Fadnavis Maharashtra DevendraFadnavis MumbaiPuneMissingLink pictwittercomDEpENr37Comdash CMO Maharashtra CMOMaharashtra May 1 2026He said the project faced several technical challenges particularly in building the cablestayed bridge which took years to design Despite these difficulties the team successfully delivered what the Chief Minister described as one of the countryrsquos engineering marvelsExperts from seven countries mdash including Canada Denmark Austria Malaysia Spain Taiwan and Singapore mdash contributed to the project highlighting its global scale and technical complexity Fadnavis saidThe project forms part of a modern 1916km corridor that also includes widening of a 586km sixlane section between Khalapur and Khopoli interchange to eight lanesThe tunnels were constructed using the New Austrian Tunnelling Method NATM and involved extensive geological studies across varying rock formations in the Sahyadri ranges the MSRDC saidSafety and modern infraAdvanced safety systems have been installed along the route These include CCTV monitoring as well as fire and emergency response services ensuring a secure travel experience for commutersThe project is an outstanding example of modern engineering prowess CM Fadnavis wrote on XFadnavis also praised the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation MSRDC for their dedication and excellent work in completing the projectSecond world record for NECLNavayuga Engineering Company Limited NECL achieved its second Guinness World Records title with the construction of the worldrsquos widest underground tunnel The milestone forms part of the MumbaiPune Expressway lsquoMissing Linkrsquo project marking a major achievement in Indiarsquos infrastructure developmentAfter the inauguration CM Fadnavis Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Sunetra Pawar received a certificate from Guinness World RecordsThe recognition was awarded for constructing the worldrsquos widest underground tunnel measuring 2233 metres in width located in the Lonavala section of the expressway lsquo rsquo 2233 hellip pictwittercomYkDlUKlZDymdash CMO Maharashtra CMOMaharashtra May 1 2026Faster safer and greener travelThe Missing Link project is designed to provide a straighter and smoother route avoiding the difficult and winding ghat section This will reduce travel time lower fuel consumption and offer environmental benefits