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According to the Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari, the travel time between Mumbai, Maharashtra and Bengaluru, Karnataka, will be reduced from the current 18 hours to just 5.5 hours by the end of this year. This will be possible after the completion of key expressway projects currently under development.

 

 

 

During a recent public event, Gadkari explained that the first package under the Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) model will connect to the upcoming Pune Ring Road. He also said that the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) plans to acquire land for up to 40 lanes to avoid the challenges faced during earlier projects. Referring to the construction of the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, the minister admitted that the delay in the construction happened due to limited land acquisition. Learning from that experience, the new infrastructure plan aims to ensure smoother connectivity between Mumbai, Pune, and eventually Bengaluru. According to Gadkari, once the new route becomes operational, commuters will be able to travel from Mumbai to Bengaluru in just 5.5 hours — nearly one-third of the current travel time.

 

 

The major project behind this claim is the proposed Pune–Bengaluru Greenfield Expressway. This 8-lane greenfield expressway will span approximately 700 kilometres, allowing vehicles to travel at speeds of up to 120 kmph. The project will include 55 flyovers and 22 interchanges.  Reports suggest that the 700 km stretch is estimated to cost between Rs 42,000 crore and Rs 50,000 crore. Land acquisition for the project has already begun. The expressway will start from Pune and end in Bengaluru, passing through various cities in Maharashtra and Karnataka.

 

 

For Mumbai residents, the journey to Bengaluru will first require reaching Pune. To facilitate this, the government is constructing a new Mumbai-Pune Expressway II. This new stretch will cover 130 km and is estimated to cost ₹15,000 crore. It will begin near the Atal Setu, close to JNPA and conclude at Shivhare Junction in Pune. Currently, travel between Mumbai and Pune takes around 2.5 to 3 hours. With the new expressway, the time is expected to drop to approximately 90 minutes.

 

 

While the claim has generated excitement, transportation experts and commuters are questioning its feasibility. To achieve a 5.5-hour travel time over nearly 830 kilometres (Mumbai to Pune plus Pune to Bengaluru), vehicles would need to maintain a consistent speed of 120 kmph without any interruptions. However, in practical scenarios, factors such as toll booths, congestion at city entry and exit points, merging traffic, and unpredictable urban traffic conditions — particularly around Pune, Mumbai, and Bengaluru — could significantly impact travel time. Critics also recall a previous statement by Gadkari suggesting that travel between Bengaluru and Chennai would take just two hours — a target that many believe remains unrealistic under current traffic conditions.  While the infrastructure upgrades promise significant improvements in connectivity and reduced travel time, whether Mumbai to Bengaluru can truly be covered in 5.5 hours remains to be seen once the projects are completed and fully operational.