Punes Lifeline - Express Highway

When we were kids travelling to PUNE was difficult. It was always well connected with Mumbai, that was not the issue, the main issue was time factor. The Deccan Queen was the hot favorite train for all Mumbaikars and Puneries to travel to and fro. There are lakhs of people coming from Pune to Mumbai to earn their bread. They have managed to hold a good post in the leading organization located in the hearts of Mumbai. Mumbai has never regretted in recruiting staff from Pune. The Deccan Queen Super Fast would dutifully pick and drop them. There are separate bogies for season pass holders and the advantage of coming from another city to work was they never had to stay late... !!!! Which we always do... Other commuters had to plan their travel in advance to go to PUNE as Deccan Queen was always running full. How can I forget the ASIAD Buses? Travelling by Asiad buses was a prestige by itself. Mumbaikars had to book in advance their seats from Dadar to get in to these buses. MSRTC (Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation) was anyways giving their service. Travelling by S.T. buses was very cumbersome and noisy, the middle class and the upper middle class opted for ASIAD. The private contractors slowly roped in to the given situation. Today we have VOLVO taking us to PUNE in flat 2.30 hours. The service by road increased in hundred folds, due to the single factor called EXPRESS HIGHWAY. The toll definitely pinches the pocket but the ride on this road is heavenly. People who stay abroad have similar roads, but in a travel congested country lik INDIA, the Express Highway was a boon to the commuters. Motorists, buses, ply on this highway with full speed as halting in between is not allowed. I love this highway and never bother the toll. I pay them for the ride.

The greatest disadvantage of this highway was multiple accidents, tyre bursts, four wheelers climbing the dividers, plunging in the bumper of the other vehicle and the story was endless. The gory accidents have made the government take a stance of speed limit. Now commuters who take this road have to strictly follow the speed limit. Police patrol vehicle is on the move through the day and night to FINE THE SPEEDY MOTORS.

Express Highway brought down the travelling time AND HAS MADE OUR RIDE TO PUNE A BOON..........

Yes Mals, the Express highway is a boon in disguise for easy travel between Mumbai-Pune.

When we were planning our shift to Pune in 2004, we used to come to Pune 2-3 times a week. It used to take us about 3 hrs 45 min to reach the EH from Ghatkopar and another 45-60 min to reach Kalyani Nagar...which is on the other end of Pune.

The drive during and after the monsoons is very scenic and beautiful, with the hills lush green. Whenever we have foreign guests and if they are travelling during the day, they invariable stop a couple of times on the way to click picture.

The food court after the toll plaza are also good but real expensive....they are minting money.

The bus services between Mumbai-Pune are very good also you get cabs from Dadar station to Pune station.

But if 2 or more people are travelling then your own car is the best option so you can travel at your own convenient time.

Roopa.

Dear Mals
Nice to hear you have nice expressway.It bought memories how we used to travel along that route.There used to be only Asiad buses and taxis.The route is beautiful but too congested.I am talking years back.There were only few road side joints.Once we took a private cab .We left Mumbai at 5 in the evening and we reached Pune only at 2 in the morning thanks to those endless rows of trucks and buses.There was another time wherein I was vomitting right thru (as I was pregnant then)and there was hardly any place to do it.Inspite of all this we always enjoyed the lovely green landscape.I never seen such greenery any where else.We have travelled by Deccan almost every weekend and it used to be very enjoyable.Thanks for bringing back some pleasant memories.

Hi Roopa,

Thanks for bringing up the FOOD COURT. I make it a point to hop in to it for the famous BATATA WADAS AND MISAL PAV. So many other contractors have tried to put up court around this famous Food Court but have failed. People wait in queue for hours but eat Wadas and Misal Pavs here. Even I never give it a miss... In case I miss this then the Panvel Food Court is the next famous halt...

Don't you agree!!!!

Hi Kanaka,

Your post is quite valuable for the efforts people would take to reach PUNE. Today life has become easier. Thanks for stepping in.

Hey Mals

I havent travelled on this expressway but i have heard from my husband who has travelled quite a lot of times on the mumbai pune expressway...

A similar expressway is there in Delhi or say NCR, called DND Flyway, it connects Noida and South Delhi (Noida and east delhi are anyways connected), and has thus made lives easier... the drive is beautiful with Yamuna river by side and huge Billboards and the roads on the flyway are like "Makkhan"... and it is also very much like any Freeway in US, the Tolls are high no doubt for the maintainene, but all the Noida BPOs and IT companies' Cabs take this flyway for a quick route to south delhi and gurgaon ahead.... but it has also got many problems like accidents, cos of high speeding and guys doing bike races, cos of the so many lanes...

~Abha

Hi Abha

How are you!!!

Thanks for introducing the flyway of Delhi. The problems with these highways is speeding and accidents. The Express Highway has witnessed numerous deaths before it got patrolled by mobile vans of the Police to track the speedsters. Now things are under control....

Even I have plied on this highway with a speed of 145 k.p.h. The guy behind the wheels was a expert driver and our friend. So the usual, hey, hey, got to that speed level, it raised higher too. With me around, such things happen...