Those defaming Maharashtra won't be spared: Fadnavis on safety of 'missing link

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday strongly defended the Mumbai-Pune Expressway's ambitious Missing Link project following a recent landslide near the route, warning that those spreading misinformation and defaming Maharashtra would face consequences. He argued that initial challenges are inevitable in large-scale infrastructure projects as the opposition mounted its attack, terming the link unsafe and calling for a safety audit of the critical thoroughfare.

Replying to a discussion in the state Assembly on heavy rains and flood management, the Chief Minister alleged critics of the project are peddling false narratives on television and social media through "hired trolls" in an attempt to discredit what he described as a landmark engineering achievement.

"Defame me all you want, but do not defame Maharashtra. Those who deliberately spread lies and insult the state's pride will not be spared," Fadnavis said during the debate.

The remarks came days after a landslide triggered by overnight heavy rainfall disrupted traffic on the Missing Link section of the Mumbai-Pune Expressway. Traffic remained suspended for more than 18 hours before authorities restored movement on the route.

The Missing Link, inaugurated on May 1, is a 13.3-km alignment on the 94-km Mumbai-Pune Expressway. Featuring twin tunnels and a cable-stayed bridge, the project bypasses the winding Lonavala-Khandala ghat section, reducing the travel distance by 5.7 km and cutting journey time between Mumbai and Pune by an estimated 20 to 30 minutes.

Defending the project, Fadnavis said it includes India's widest cable-stayed bridge and massive viaducts designed to withstand wind speeds of up to 170 kmph. He added that the new alignment has significantly improved traffic flow and reduced accidents in the ghat section.

"It was because the Mahayuti government had the courage that we built the connecting, or Missing Link. Some people started saying such a road should never have been built because landslides can occur. If governments begin thinking that way, no major infrastructure project can ever be undertaken," he said.

Drawing a parallel with the construction of the Konkan Railway, Fadnavis recalled that the railway project had also faced intense scepticism during its planning stage.

"When the Konkan Railway was proposed, many people claimed it could never be built because of landslides and difficult terrain. But there was one person, Madhu Dandavate, who had the courage to say it would be built," he said.

According to the Chief Minister, landslides continued to affect the Konkan Railway for nearly 15 years after it became operational, but engineers learned from each incident and implemented corrective measures.

Fadnavis said the proposal for the Missing Link was initially prepared during a previous government, but his administration took the decision to execute it after extensive consultations with experts.

CONGRESS SEEKS AUDIT OF 'MISSING LINK'

Following the landslide earlier this week, the Maharashtra Congress alleged the Mumbai-Pune Expressway Missing Link project was unsafe and demanded an independent audit of its construction quality and the expenditure incurred.

Senior Congress spokesperson Anant Gadgil, who is an architect, claimed that the concrete lining inside tunnels constructed in hilly terrain appeared to have developed defects, citing photographs circulating on social media amid heavy rains in the region.

He alleged that poor-quality or faulty tunnel lining could fail during the monsoon due to increased water seepage from the surrounding hills.

The opposition party also alleged that, unlike in Europe, where newly built tunnels undergo testing and rectification for 10-12 months before being opened to traffic, the Maharashtra government had inaugurated the Missing Link project in haste without completing adequate safety assessments.

Gadgil claimed that several taxi drivers who frequently travel between Mumbai and Pune were reluctant to use the route because of safety concerns. He also questioned the alignment of the project, saying that a route with more natural openings should have been selected.

Seeking transparency in the project's cost, Gadgil alleged that around Rs 12,000-13,000 crore had been spent on a 9-10-km stretch.

"The Maharashtra government must make the expenditure details public. There should be an audit of the project by an independent agency to ascertain whether there have been any financial irregularities," Gadgil said.

He claimed that he had expressed concerns about the safety of the Missing Link after travelling through it for the first time.

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