PMC begins works to widen part of Old Pune-Mumbai Road

Pune: The long-pending work of widening the Old Mumbai-Pune Road on the Khadki-Bopodi stretch to give relief to daily road users is likely to begin soon.
The civic body has started with the preliminary works of surveys, inspections and appointment of an agency for the project through the tendering process.
The defence ministry recently gave its nod to hand over land for road widening under the project.Civic officials stated that a memorandum of understanding (MoU) will be signed soon for the land. The civic administration has started the pre-civil works simultaneously to avoid further delays. The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has estimated expenses of Rs75 crore for the widening of the road to 42m from the existing 21m, with the addition of three more lanes.
The existing road width on the stretch has been proving insufficient.
An official from PMC said, “A consultancy agency will be appointed for the project and a survey of the entire stretch will be undertaken. A Pune Metro viaduct is aligned on the road median. The Metro work is already underway. The road’s alignment will be finalised keeping this viaduct in consideration.”
PMC has completed the widening of the road till the Central Hatchery Chowk. The stretch ahead towards Khadki railway station and further towards Bopodi is still to be widened. PMC has also proposed a bus rapid transit lane on the stretch, which will be extended up to the Harris Bridge. This will connect it to another BRT lane developed by the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation on the other side of the bridge.
Khadki resident Prakash Rathi said the project had been pending for long. “Travel time will reduce after this stretch gets more lanes. Moving between Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad will become hassle-free and an optional route to Aundh via Khadki will open.”