Pune: Commuters travelling from Aundh Gaothan towards the Rajiv Gandhi Bridge can expect some relief from the regular traffic snarls in the near future.
The bottleneck on the stretch is expected to be cleared soon as the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has already approached property holders in the area to acquire their land to widen the road here.
According to sources in the PMC, the civic body is expecting a breakthrough in the days to come as most property owners have expressed their willingness to hand over their land for the project. Consequently, the PMC has planned a series of meetings to hold discussions with land and property owners and reach an amicable solution.
The width of the road will be increased from its current 45 feet to 90 feet. The widening of the road will allow the addition of more lanes and, therefore, help in reducing traffic jams. The road is wide till Aundh Gaothan from both Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad ends. According to officials, encroachments have been removed along the road to make more space for vehicles. However, the widening project can only be undertaken after the existing properties along the road are acquired.
According to the civic administration, there are about 32 properties located on the stretch, owners of which have expressed their willingness to give their land. The administration has initiated talks of offering floor space index (FSI) to them. The administration will prepare the final proposal after consultation with the owners.
However, the commuters said the PMC must expedite the process of acquiring the land and eventual widening of the road. Tejas Shah, who regularly travels on this stretch, said the road is almost squeezed down to two lanes at Aundh Gaothan. There are bus stops on both sides. Whenever the buses stop to pick up or drop passengers, they cause a traffic jam as the carriageway is very narrow.
Shah added the administration must think of constructing an overbridge, or an underpass, for pedestrians to cross the road. As there is no designated place to cross the road, pedestrians cross the road from any spot. This may lead to accidents, he said.
Vijay Kale, the local legislator, said the road widening project has been in the pipeline for many years. The work will be completed in a phased manner to ensure that daily commuters do not face any hurdles. Kale further added that the Aundh-SPPU Road is a crucial link to enter and leave the city.
The bottleneck on the stretch is expected to be cleared soon as the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has already approached property holders in the area to acquire their land to widen the road here.
According to sources in the PMC, the civic body is expecting a breakthrough in the days to come as most property owners have expressed their willingness to hand over their land for the project. Consequently, the PMC has planned a series of meetings to hold discussions with land and property owners and reach an amicable solution.
The width of the road will be increased from its current 45 feet to 90 feet. The widening of the road will allow the addition of more lanes and, therefore, help in reducing traffic jams. The road is wide till Aundh Gaothan from both Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad ends. According to officials, encroachments have been removed along the road to make more space for vehicles. However, the widening project can only be undertaken after the existing properties along the road are acquired.
According to the civic administration, there are about 32 properties located on the stretch, owners of which have expressed their willingness to give their land. The administration has initiated talks of offering floor space index (FSI) to them. The administration will prepare the final proposal after consultation with the owners.
However, the commuters said the PMC must expedite the process of acquiring the land and eventual widening of the road. Tejas Shah, who regularly travels on this stretch, said the road is almost squeezed down to two lanes at Aundh Gaothan. There are bus stops on both sides. Whenever the buses stop to pick up or drop passengers, they cause a traffic jam as the carriageway is very narrow.
Shah added the administration must think of constructing an overbridge, or an underpass, for pedestrians to cross the road. As there is no designated place to cross the road, pedestrians cross the road from any spot. This may lead to accidents, he said.
Vijay Kale, the local legislator, said the road widening project has been in the pipeline for many years. The work will be completed in a phased manner to ensure that daily commuters do not face any hurdles. Kale further added that the Aundh-SPPU Road is a crucial link to enter and leave the city.
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