Pune bridge delay stretches on as four-lane Sadhu Vaswani project targets December

Construction of Pune’s four-lane Sadhu Vaswani Bridge has continued to affect traffic and access for residents around Mangaldas Road, with the project now expected to be completed by December.

The bridge project was announced in December 2022 and is intended to improve connectivity between Koregaon Park, Camp, Bund Garden Road, Solapur Road and Yerawada while reducing travel times.

The old bridge was demolished before construction of the new structure began in June 2024. The project has since missed several completion targets, moving from March to May and then August. It is now expected to be completed by December this year, reported The Times of India.

Mangaldas Road has been converted into a one-way corridor to accommodate the construction work, affecting motorists and pedestrians in the surrounding neighbourhoods.

“Vehicles speed through the stretch, lane discipline is non-existent and a roadside vendor near my lane creates a blind spot,” resident Kishore Sidhwani told Times of India. “I now need a driver and have to plan every trip in advance. It feels like I have lost the freedom to come and go as I please,” he said.

“The bridge project, announced in Dec 2022, was expected to improve connectivity between Koregaon Park, Camp, Bund Garden Road, Solapur Road and Yerawada, while reducing travel times,” the report said.

Residents have also raised concerns about limited footpaths, wrong-side driving and longer routes created by traffic diversions.

Citizen activist Sathi Nair said, “There is no reason a project causing this much inconvenience should take so long. Mangaldas Road has become a major traffic artery because of the diversions. Residents spend nearly 20 minutes reaching Connaught Place, which is only a short distance away. Vehicles speed, change lanes abruptly, accidents are common, and crossing the road has become a nightmare.”

The project involves several technically difficult components, including a **54-metre open-web girder railway span** across the railway line.

Work was also delayed by a **one-metre-diameter overhead water pipeline** supplying neighbourhoods including Kalyaninagar and Gandhinagar. The pipeline has since been shifted underground after alternative arrangements were created, at an additional cost of **Rs 2 crore**.

PMC chief engineer, projects, Dinkar Gojare said the civic body remained confident of completing the project by the end of December, provided there were no further hurdles.

“We are confident of completing the bridge by Dec-end, provided there are no fresh hurdles. The pipeline issue has been resolved, with the overhead pipeline shifted underground. The railway department has scheduled a 15-day block for major works. We will now remove the old pipeline structure, install temporary supports for the 750-tonne bridge over the tracks and complete the remaining three spans,” he said.

The prolonged construction has also affected Boat Club Road, Sopanbaug and other adjoining areas, where motorists have been diverted through longer routes.