Building Pune: As work on Outer Pune Ring Road gathers steam, fencing of land to begin

The 136.80-km-long Outer Pune Ring Road is being constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 15,857 crore to help decongest Pune roads by diverting outbound traffic.

The land will be cleared and grubbed and existing structures will be dismantled. (Representational/File)

To speed up work on the proposed 136.80-km-long Outer Pune Ring Road that would help decongest Pune roads by diverting vehicles passing through the city, the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) has demarcated boundaries and is set to begin fencing the areas.

“The district administration has acquired much of the land for the project. It will soon begin handing it to MSRDC. Thus, the focus will be to carry out demarcation of the road boundaries immediately and erect a 1.5-metre high fencing wire in built-up areas,” a senior MSRDC official said.

The land will be cleared and grubbed and existing structures will be dismantled. Watchmen will also be employed to protect the land and the construction work, the official added.

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The Outer Pune Ring Road is divided into two parts. While the 74.08 km stretch from Urse on Yashwantrao Chavan Expressway to Shivare on Pune-Satara national highway will be known as Eastern Ring Road, the 65.45 km circular road from Shivare back to Urse will be known as Western Ring Road.

The proposed road is being constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 15,857 crore and is planned to be completed in 30 months from the actual start of work. The state government has already allocated Rs 11,000 crore for land acquisition for the project and the construction will be done in nine packages.

The MSRDC conceptualised the greenfield alignment of the access-controlled Outer Pune Ring Road to divert the traffic passing through Pune city from outside the city towards other cities, without letting vehicles enter the city. Presently nine national highways and an expressway cross the city of Pune. Even those who have no intention of travelling through Pune have to do so. The Maharashtra government decided to construct the Outer Pune Ring Road to decongest Pune roads, thereby reducing the air pollution in the city. The proposed road will let the outbound traffic cross Pune without entering the city.

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The overlapping stretch of Yashwantrao Chavan Mumbai Pune Expressway and Outer Pune Ring Road has been considered for widening and providing approaches as well as exits from the expressway and the proposed road. The width of the road will be between 90 metres and 110 metres with three lanes on either side for 97.80 km and four lanes on either side on a 39 km stretch. Designed for vehicles with speeds of 120 kmph, the new road will pass through 83 villages.

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The MSRDC will install noise barriers on the stretch passing through urban areas and have wayside amenities at five locations. There will be 14 interchanges, eight pedestrian underpasses, six smaller vehicular underpasses, 13 light vehicle underpasses, 37 vehicular underpasses, 28 vehicular overpasses, three railway overbridges, 16 major bridges, 38 minor bridges, 230 culverts, 10 tunnels and 18 flyovers on the Outer Pune Ring Road. An Intelligent Traffic Management System will also be in place.

The Outer Pune Ring Road was approved by the state government in 2015 after it was realised that the heavy vehicle traffic from Mumbai to Kolhapur, Solapur and Ahmednagar as well as from Kolhapur to Nashik, Ahmednagar and Solapur, and traffic from Nashik to Solapur was creating traffic chaos in Pune city and causing pollution.

Outer Pune Ring Road: What Lies Ahead

Length	136.80 km
Width	90-110 metres
Estimated cost	Rs 15,857 crore
Deadline	30 months

Ajay Jadhav

Ajay Jadhav is an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, Pune. With over 22 years of experience in the industry, he is a highly specialized journalist whose work focuses on the intersection of urban infrastructure, governance, and sustainability. Professional Background Role: As Assistant Editor, he plays a key role in the editorial direction of the Pune bureau, specializing in urban policy and its direct impact on citizens. Education: He holds a Master’s degree in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a PG Diploma in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). He also studied at the prestigious Fergusson College. Impactful Reporting: He is credited with research-based articles on conservancy staff (waste workers) that influenced national policy for better working conditions. He is also known for exposing the contrast between high-end infrastructure (like helipads for leaders) and the lack of basic amenities like schools in their home districts. Personal Interests: An avid trekker and sports enthusiast, his personal interest in the outdoors often informs his reporting on environmental protection and sustainable development. Recent Notable Articles (December 2025) His reporting in late 2025 has been dominated by the upcoming January 2026 Civic Polls in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, and the city's infrastructure boom: 1. Political Analysis (Civic Elections 2026) "Not friendly but a bitter fight lies ahead between BJP and NCP for PMC, PCMC" (Dec 22, 2025): A detailed look at the intense rivalry between the Mahayuti partners as they prepare for the January 15 municipal elections. "Pune civic polls: Big blow to NCP, NCP(SP) as leaders switch to BJP" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on high-profile poaching and party-hopping ahead of the elections. "Ajit Pawar's NCP continues domination in Pune, wins 10 of 17 local bodies" (Dec 21, 2025): Analyzing the results of the local self-government body elections as a precursor to the main civic polls. 2. Infrastructure & Urban Development "Looking Ahead at 2026: Pune to see inauguration of much-awaited Hinjewadi to Shivajinagar metro route" (Dec 22, 2025): An "outlook" piece on the critical Metro Line 3 project expected to finish by March 2026. "Building Pune: PMC to construct double-decker bridge over Mula-Mutha River" (Dec 18, 2025): Detailing a major project aimed at easing traffic between Hadapsar and Kharadi. "Condition of highway from Pune to Kolhapur to improve in a year: Gadkari" (Dec 4, 2025): Reporting on the Union Minister’s assurances regarding one of the state's most critical transport corridors. 3. Civic Governance & Environment "Install sensors, LED indicators at construction sites within 15 days: PMC to builders" (Dec 16, 2025): A follow-up to the "Breathless Pune" series, reporting on new mandates for builders to monitor air quality in real-time. "Errors in electoral rolls: PMC corrects data of 92,466 voters" (Dec 16, 2025): Tracking the administrative efforts to clean up the voter lists before the 2026 elections. Signature Style Ajay Jadhav is known for accountability journalism. His work often bridges the gap between high-level policy and the "ground zero" reality of Pune's residents. He is particularly focused on Sustainable Development, ensuring that as Pune grows into a "Bharat Mandapam" style destination (referring to his report on the Lohegaon project), its environmental and social safeguards remain intact. X (Twitter): @ajay_khape ... Read More

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