Pune Infra Watch: Chandani Chowk traffic issues delay start of multilevel flyover work at Pune University junction

The PMRDA first declared to start the work in September but Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) requested it to postpone the work until the traffic issue at Chandni Chowk was eased after the widening of the road and construction of two service lanes.

Traffic resumes after the demolition of Chandani Chowk bridge. (Express Photo)

The Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) has planned to start the work of the multilevel flyover at the Pune University junction next week as it expects that the two service lanes at Chandani Chowk would ease the traffic flow.

The PMRDA has been postponing the start of flyover work with the ongoing construction of another multilevel flyover at Chandani Chowk creating severe traffic issues between the city and Hinjewadi, Baner, Balewadi, Mulshi and Mumbai.

The PMRDA first declared to start the work in September but Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) requested it to postpone the work until the traffic issue at Chandani Chowk was eased after the widening of the road and construction of two service lanes. Following this, Pune Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority (PUMTA) extended the start date to October 7.

“The multilevel flyover work at the Pune University junction was to start on Friday. The PMC requested to postpone the work due to traffic issues. The work will start next week but before that, we have convened a meeting of officers of various concerned government departments,” said a PMRDA officer.

The city has been witnessing traffic chaos at Chandani Chowk after the demolition of a bridge to make way for a multilevel flyover.

The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) will soon make two service lanes operational for traffic and it is likely to ease the traffic flow at Chandani Chowk, he said, adding it would also help in easing the traffic at the Pune University junction and enable the administration to take up the project work.

As per the plan, the PMRDA will construct the double-decker flyover with the metro rail on top and four ramps to connect three roads via flyover with Ganeshkhind road while the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) will construct four underpasses. The work on the flyover on the Ganeshkhind road will be completed by November 2024.

Ajay Jadhav

Ajay Jadhav is an Assistant Editor with The Indian Express, Pune. He writes on Infrastructure, Politics, Civic issues, Sustainable Development and related stuff. He is a trekker and a sports enthusiast. Ajay has written research articles on the Conservancy staff that created a nationwide impact in framing policy to improve the condition of workers handling waste. Ajay has been consistently writing on politics and infrastructure. He brought to light the lack of basic infrastructure of school and hospital in the hometown of Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde even as two private helipads were developed by the leader who mostly commutes from Mumbai to Satara in helicopter. Ajay has been reporting on sustainable development initiatives that protects the environment while ensuring infrastructure development. ... Read More

Click here to join Express Pune WhatsApp channel and get a curated list of our stories