Budget gives major push to Ring Road, Pune Metro projects

The state government had been planning to construct a Ring Road in the district that would enable vehicles from different parts of the state to pass through the city without entering its arterial roads, thus helping reduce traffic congestion.

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The Pimpri-Chinchwad to Swargate route is an elevated one from Pimpri-Chinchwad to Shivajinagar, and then underground till Swargate. (File)

In a major boost to road infrastructure and public transport in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, the Maharashtra government, in its state budget tabled in the Assembly on Monday, announced its plan to implement the Rs 26,000-crore Ring Road project for the district and allocated Rs 302.19 crore for the Pune Metro project.

The state government had been planning to construct a Ring Road in the district that would enable vehicles from different parts of the state to pass through the city without entering its arterial roads, thus helping reduce traffic congestion. Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Ajit Pawar, in his budget speech on Monday, said land acquisition for the mega road project “will begin this year”.

In January, the state government had approved land acquisition for the 170-km ring road project, to be implemented by the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC). The project would require acquisition of 2,300 hectares of land.

The Maharashtra government also gave a push to the ongoing Pune Metro project, being implemented by the Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (Maha-Metro). It allocated Rs 302.19 crore for the Pune Metro project, along with Rs 188.95 crore for Nagpur Phase-I Metro project.

The Pune Metro rail service is likely to start its operation in a few stretches of the two routes — Swargate to Pimpri Chinchwad and Vanaz to Ramwadi — soon. The detailed project report for the proposed extension of the route is also likely to be finalised in the coming year.

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