The question asks for the year when India's first operational six-lane expressway, the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, was inaugurated. This significant infrastructure project is approximately 95 km long.
The Mumbai-Pune Expressway holds the distinction of being India's first expressway built entirely for high-speed traffic, featuring six lanes.
The expressway was commissioned and opened to traffic in the year 2002, drastically reducing travel time between Mumbai and Pune.