India, March 24 -- In a bid to address increasing traffic congestion in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, the Maharashtra public works department (PWD) has proposed a new, four-lane highway connecting Shirur, Chakan, Talegaon, Shiroli, Karjat, and JNPT (Uran). Spanning around 135 kilometres with the cost estimated to be Rs.12,000 crore, the project aims to provide an alternative route for vehicles travelling between Marathwada and Mumbai, significantly reducing the burden on city roads. The proposal is currently under review and awaiting final approval from the state cabinet.

The proposed highway is expected to decongest the heavily used Shikrapur-Chakan-Talegaon-Lonavala corridor, which sees a high volume of traffic due to the presence of majo...