Pune traffic to ease by 30 per cent after new elevated roads: Fadnavis

Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday said traffic congestion in Pune is expected to reduce by around 30 per cent after the completion of three elevated road projects, the Ring Road and the High Capacity Mass Transit Route (HCMTR).

Speaking at the foundation stone laying ceremony for three elevated highways in the Pune region, Fadnavis said the projects would improve connectivity across the city and strengthen links with major industrial areas, including MIDCs.

“By 2030, Pune will be recognised as one of the most advanced cities in the country. Forward-looking projects are being planned to develop Pune and its surrounding areas and make the region one of the country’s key growth hubs,” he said.

Fadnavis said the Hadapsar-Yavat and Chakan-Shikrapur elevated corridors would significantly reduce traffic congestion and cut travel time by around 50 minutes each way for commuters, reported The Indian Express.

“The planning of these projects has been done in a modern manner, and these routes will be connected to the Outer Ring Road. In some areas, we will see four-tier roads comprising ground-level roads, the Outer Ring Road, elevated corridors and Metro routes above them,” he said.

He said integrating Metro planning with future road projects could reduce Metro construction costs by up to 40 per cent.

The chief minister said both Ring Roads would be completed within two years, while construction of the 36-km HCMTR project would begin in November. He added that planning for Pune’s development was being carried out by considering the entire Pune Metropolitan Region (PMR), including its long-term water supply needs.

Fadnavis said the 31-km Hadapsar-Yavat elevated corridor would be the longest continuous elevated road in the country. He added that the three elevated road projects were expected to generate around Rs 1,000 crore in revenue for the state government.

On the proposed Purandar airport, Fadnavis said 50 per cent of the land acquisition compensation had been deposited into farmers’ accounts and that 91 per cent of farmers had given their consent for the project. He said work on the airport was expected to begin by the end of the year.

He also said Pune and its surrounding areas were among Maharashtra’s key economic centres, contributing Rs 7.75 lakh crore to the state’s GDP. The proposed Purandar airport, he added, was expected to increase Pune’s GDP by 2-3 per cent.

Fadnavis further announced an allocation of Rs 130 crore for the Phata-Rajgurunagar road project.

Deputy chief minister Sunetra Pawar, who attended the event along with Union road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari, said the three elevated roads would be “game-changers” in reducing traffic congestion in Pune. She added that former deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar had consistently pursued the projects.