Thane-Vadape Road Widening Reaches 95% Completion, Travel Time to Drop

The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) has reached 95 percent completion on the Rs 1,182-crore Thane-Vadape road widening project, targeting the end of September to finish the remaining widening work along the corridor.

Once fully operational, the upgraded stretch is expected to cut peak travel times between Thane and Vadape from nearly two hours down to approximately 30 minutes. The project expands the existing four-lane Mumbai-Nashik Highway into an eight-lane main carriageway, alongside the construction of 18.35 kilometres of two-lane service roads.

Work on the highway upgrade commenced in 2021 with an initial completion target of February 2025. After missing approximately three deadlines, MSRDC established the end of September as the revised deadline to finish the primary widening work.

Despite the advanced stage of construction, motorists continue to face severe congestion and potholes, particularly around Mankoli and Pimplas. The movement of heavy vehicles diverting onto service roads has contributed significantly to road surface damage in these stretches.

Quality issues have also necessitated repairs along the newly laid stretches. Out of approximately 80,000 concrete panels, nearly 550 have been earmarked for dismantling and complete reconstruction, while roughly 1,800 surface cracks require repair work.

Several major structural components of the project remain underway. The 84-metre Pimplas railway overbridge stands at 72 percent completion, with officials targeting September 2026 for its conclusion. Additionally, the Mankoli underpass and several vehicular underpasses remain under active construction.