BJP contender for Pune mayor’s post seeks realignment of Metro route on Sinhagad Road
BJP corporator Manjusha Nagpure flagged the long-term traffic chaos on Sinhagad Road and suggested the Metro route from Khadakwasla to Kharadi be moved along the canal or Mutha river.
Pune Metro has received Centre’s approval to construct an elevated route from Khadakwasla to Kharadi via Swargate and Hadapsar. (Express Photo) BJP corporator Manjusha Nagpure, who has been re-elected to the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) for the third consecutive term and is considered a key contender for the mayor’s post, has requested the civic administration to explore the possibility of realigning the Metro route from Khadakwasla to Kharadi along the canal or Mutha river, instead of following the existing plan to build an elevated route on already congested Sinhagad Road.
“I had submitted a written communication to Pune Metro Rail and the PMC, requesting them to explore the possibility of changing the alignment of the Metro route passing through Sinhagad Road. While discussions were held and the administration was asked to examine the feasibility of a realignment, no official response has been received yet,” Nagpure said, adding that she has also raised the issue with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who assured her it would be taken up for discussion.
Dinkar Gojare, PMC project department in charge, said that her letter will be forwarded to the state government.
Pune Metro has received Centre’s approval to construct an elevated route from Khadakwasla to Kharadi via Swargate and Hadapsar. The alignment will run through the middle of the existing road and pass above the recently built flyover on Sinhagad Road. The approved route spans 31.636 km with 28 elevated stations. Lines 4 and 4A will connect IT hubs, commercial zones, educational institutions, and residential clusters across Pune. The project will be completed within five years at an estimated cost of Rs 9,857.85 crore.
“Sinhagad Road is the most congested road in Pune city. It is the main road providing access to a large population from the area commuting to the central part of the city. A flyover was recently built to tackle the traffic, for which citizens had to suffer a lot for more than two years during its construction,” said Nagpure, who was elected from the Suncity-Manikbaug electoral ward, which is in the area of the Sinhagad Road ward office. Metro Line 4 from Khadakwasla to Kharadi is set to be constructed through the middle of Sinhagad Road.
The BJP corporator said she wants detailed information on the planned Metro Line 4 so that it can be studied and discussed. The construction of an elevated Metro line on the existing Sinhagad Road above the flyover will have an adverse impact on the residents and cause inconvenience to them, she added.
Nagpure appealed to the administration to explore the possibility of developing a Metro route alongside the canal, which is going to be closed soon, or alongside the Mutha river as both are parallel to Sinhagad Road. “…will enable faster implementation without disturbing the traffic flow of the main Sinhagad Road. Also, the land acquisition and construction work can be done faster than that on already busy Sinhagad Road,” she explained.
Nagpure said there is a dire need for a Metro rail facility in the Sinhagad Road ward office area to ease residents’ daily suffering from traffic jams. She added that proper planning and faster execution would bring relief to citizens.
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