Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday strongly defended the Rs 7,000 crore Mumbai-Pune Expressway’s Missing Link project following criticism over a landslide near one of its tunnels, asserting that such challenges are part of executing large infrastructure projects.
Responding to a discussion on heavy rains and flood management in the state assembly, Fadnavis said the government would strengthen safety measures based on expert recommendations but maintained that a single incident should not overshadow the project’s engineering achievements.
“It was because the Mahayuti government had the courage that we built the connecting (Missing) link. Some people started saying that such a road should never have been built because landslides can occur. If governments start thinking like that, no major infrastructure project can ever be undertaken,” Fadnavis told PTI.
The chief minister also hit out at those criticising the project, alleging that misinformation was being spread through television debates and social media.
“The very next day after the connecting link was opened, some people appeared on television and started making false claims. They are habitual liars. Some people on social media are also spreading misleading information after taking money. Those who insult Maharashtra by deliberately spreading lies will not be spared,” said Fadnavis, according to PTI.
“Ten years from today, those who hurl abuse won’t be around, but there will be the connecting link and the names of Devendra Fadnavis and (deputy CM) Eknath Shinde,” the CM told PTI.
CM compares project with Konkan Railway
Drawing parallels with the Konkan Railway, Fadnavis said landmark infrastructure projects often face challenges in their initial years but improve over time through corrective measures.
“When the Konkan Railway was proposed, many people said it was not feasible due to the danger of landslides,” he said. “But there was one person, (former railway minister) Madhu Dandavate, who had the courage to say that it would be built.”
“After the Konkan Railway became operational, landslides occurred almost every year for nearly 15 years. Every year, we learned from those incidents, carried out corrective works and gradually ensured such landslides stopped. If we had allowed fear to dictate our decisions, then the Konkan Railway would never have come into existence,” he said, according to PTI
Fadnavis also claimed that an earlier proposal for the Missing Link had been shelved by the previous Congress-led government.
“However, the then Chief Minister wrote a two-page note, cited 14 different reasons, and shut down the file, declaring that this missing link could not be built,” he said.
According to the chief minister, his government revived the project only after consulting technical experts, who concluded that it could be executed safely.
“They told us it was technically possible and that it could be executed safely. We went ahead and completed it. This is not merely a connecting road. It is an engineering marvel,” he told PTI.
IIT recommends additional protection; Mumbai flood plan unveiled
Referring to the recent landslide, Fadnavis said the government immediately sought advice from experts at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), who recommended additional protective measures at a few vulnerable stretches.
“The IIT experts have identified a few more vulnerable locations where wire mesh and slope protection should be installed. We will implement these recommendations…,” he told PTI.
Traffic on the Missing Link remained suspended for more than 18 hours after a landslide triggered by heavy rainfall on Monday.
Opened to traffic on May 1, the 13.3-km Missing Link forms part of the 94-km Mumbai-Pune Expressway. The alignment, featuring two twin tunnels, bypasses the Lonavala-Khandala ghat section, shortens the route by 5.7 km and is expected to reduce travel time between Mumbai and Pune by 20 to 30 minutes. The project also includes India’s widest cable-stayed bridge and large viaducts designed to withstand wind speeds of up to 170 kmph.