Building Pune: Pune Metro to develop 508 metre foot-overbridge, to benefit those using Bengaluru-Mumbai national highway

Similarly, those travelling to Rajiv Gandhi Infotech Park at Hinjewadi or industrial area at Chakan, Shirwal, Khandala, Pirangut use the Chandni Chowk junction on the national highway as bus stand. The national highway is also used as an easy access to hilltown of Lonavala and Mahabaleshwar on either side of Pune.

The two mega sports facilities – Chhatrapati Shivaji Sports Complex at Balewadi and Cricket stadium at Gahunje which holds various international, national and premiere league sports events are alongside the highway. There are many prominent educational complexes alongside the national highway making the road the busiest one for commuting.

While extending the route from Vanaz to Chandni Chowk to 1,123 metres there will be two stations — Kothrud Depot and Chandni Chowk. “The Pune Metro has decided to make access easy for public travelling via national highway at Chandni Chowk and has planned construction of a 580 mete-long foot over bridge,” said a Pune Metro officer.

This Metro footover bridge will be connected to the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) footover bridge across the national highway at Chandni Chowk for the public to cross the busy national highway, he said, adding this would enable citizens to go to either side of the national highway. From the opposite side of Metro service, commuters can now cross the road and then take the proposed footover bridge to reach Chandni Chowk Metro station.

Also, the Pune Metro has planned an integrated double decker flyover above the existing road level at Kothrud depot like the one on Karve Road to address the traffic issue.

The two stations to be developed at Kothrud depot and near Chandni Chowk will be 140 metres long and 21 metres wide.

In June, the Central Government had given its nod for extending the Metro route from Vanaz to Chandni Chowk so that a continuous link to Wagholi Metro corridor will strengthen East–West mass transit in Pune.

The Maha-Metro is operating Pune Metro Line 1 from Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) to Swargate and Line 2 from Vanaz to Ramwadi, while Pune Metro Line 3 from Shivajinagar to Hinjewadi is being executed by Pune Metropolitan Road Development Authority (PMRDA).

The operation of the Pune Metro Phase 1 lines, including Line 1 – PCMC to Swargate and Line 2 – Vanaz to Ramwadi, of the Pune Metro Rail Project has begun.