The Mumbai-Pune Connecting Link has significantly reduced congestion on the expressway, facilitating faster movement for trucks and buses. With cars and SUVs utilising the tunnel, traffic has improved for commercial vehicles in this stretch. Notably, commercial vehicles have experienced measurable gains in speed, travel time, and fuel efficiency. Specifically, medium commercial vehicles (MCVs) recorded an 18% increase in average speeds, while three-axle vehicles completed the stretch in 20% less time. Buses consumed 24% less fuel per trip, and multi-axle trucks saw a 7% increase in speed. Additionally, there has been a reduction in driver fatigue, with less lane cutting and hard braking.
Telemetry Metrics
Intangles, an AI-powered predictive intelligence company specialising in the commercial vehicle sector, released an analysis of commercial vehicle performance on the Mumbai-Pune corridor following the Connecting Link’s opening. The analysis indicates that improved corridor movement could lead to annual fuel savings of 2.7 crore litres, translating to approximately ₹272 crore in annual fuel cost reduction along the corridor.
Close to one lakh vehicles transport cargo on this corridor every day. The findings highlight the broader economic and environmental benefits of smoother transportation on a corridor critical to the Mumbai-Pune-Bangalore route and Maharashtra’s freight and passenger economy.
According to the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), the inclusion of cars and SUVs on the connecting link has cut travel time by 30 minutes, resulting in estimated fuel savings of ₹1 crore per day.
Intangles’ analysis tracked 1,849 unique commercial vehicles, including buses, MCVs, three-axle vehicles, and multi-axle trucks, covering over 2,200 trips through the ghat section of the Mumbai-Pune corridor. Performance data was compared across two periods: from April 26 to April 30, 2026, before the Connecting Link opened, and from May 2 to May 15, 2026, after its opening, allowing one day for traffic to stabilise. Speed and travel time were measured using GPS and geo-location data, and fuel consumption for the assessed commercial vehicles was derived using Intangles’ proprietary algorithms based on terrain analysis and real-time driving patterns.
Anup Patil, CEO of Intangles, said that fuel consumption is a direct measure of operational efficiency. In a corridor with such high freight volume, even modest savings per trip can lead to a significant economic impact, Patil said. The vehicle data, collected and processed at scale, quantifies the value of infrastructure in practical terms for fleet operators, such as litres saved, time saved, and emissions reduced. Intangles employs digital twin technology to capture these values across every route, trip, and vehicle in operation.
Algorithmic Insights
Hariharan Ravishankar, Chief AI Scientist at Intangles, added, “Most infrastructure impact assessments rely on modelled assumptions with fixed consumption rates applied to traffic volumes. “What sets this analysis apart is that every fuel figure is derived from actual vehicle sensor data, processed through terrain-aware algorithms that consider gradient, load behaviour, and real-time driving patterns. Vehicles constrained by stop-and-go conditions on steep gradients benefit the most when those conditions are alleviated.” Ravishankar said.
The analysis recorded performance improvements across buses, MCVs, three-axle vehicles, and multi-axle trucks. MCVs recorded the highest increase in average speed at 18%, along with a 19% reduction in travel time and a 17% decrease in fuel consumption. Three-axle vehicles saw the greatest reduction in travel time at 20%, while buses achieved the highest improvement in fuel consumption at 24% per trip. Multi-axle trucks also showed increases in speed, travel time, and fuel efficiency, demonstrating that enhanced corridor movement can benefit heavier vehicle categories as well.
Intangles currently serves 41,000 fleet operators and manages 500,000 vehicles on its platform.
