India, July 4 -- The ambitious Rs.50,000-crore Pune-Bengaluru Greenfield Expressway project is awaiting final approval from the central government, despite Maharashtra and Karnataka, the two beneficiaries, having cleared and submitted the detailed project report (DPR), prepared by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), in February this year.

Omkar Jagdale, supervisory officer of the project, said, "Land acquisition will begin only after the Centre gives green signal."

The proposed expressway, part of the central government's Bharatmala Pariyojana road project, is designed to span approximately 745 kilometres, connecting Pune to Bengaluru through 12 districts, three in Maharashtra and nine in Karnataka. It will begin at Kanjale...