To reduce burden on existing National Highway linking Pune snd Bengaluru, the Union government has proposed to construct new highway between both the metropolitan which reduce the current distance by 75km. ₹ 40,000 crore is the proposed amount of the project.

Union highways minister Nitin Gadkari said a new 699km-long national highway would connect Pune and Bengaluru and would pass through the drought-prone areas of Satara and Sangli districts.

Several sections of the existing 775km Pune-Bengaluru national highway tend to get submerged during the monsoon. “The new highway has been designed in a way to ensure that no stretch is flooded at any time,” he said while addressing a rally in Sangli.

The new highway – to be constructed at a cost of Rs 40,000 crore – will pass through the drought-prone and underdeveloped regions of Khandala, Phaltan and Khatao in Satara district and Khanapur, Tasgaon and Kavthe Mahankal localities in angli district.

In Karnataka, it will pass through Belagavi, Bagalkot, Gadag, Koppal, Ballari, Davangere, Chitradurga, Tumkur and onwards till Bengaluru.