PUNE: The residents of Wagholi and people travelling through the area can expect a snarl-free commute along the arterial Ahmednagar road by May.
The public works department (PWD) has started making the Pune-Ahmednagar highway’s Wagholi-Shikrapur stretch a six-lane road. Officials said the department was looking forward to complete widening of the Wagholi stretch of the highway on a priority basis and put an end to the daily snarls.
The nearly 26km stretch from Wagholi to Shikrapur will have a lane each on both sides, making it a six-lane facility. The officials said the existing four-lane stretch was insufficient to cater to to the increased vehicular load and the entire road widening work was likely to take two years.
The PWD has mobilized the machinery for the work on the Wagholi stretch. “Shifting of the underground utility lines, cables and removal of encroachments has been started along the 1,200m stretch starting from Wagholi. There is a plan to widen the road (3,300m stretch) by the end of May. This will cover the portion around Wagholi that often faces traffic snarls,” a PWD official said.
Frequent commuters and local residents have been complaining about the chaotic traffic on Ahmednagar road.
The issue was also raised during the recent meeting with district guardian minister Ajit Pawar to discuss various issues in Wagholi, which has been witnessing a significant rise in residential projects.
The PWD officials said the six-lane project would not face any hurdles, as land acquisition was not required to widen the road. The officials said the department has the right of way that would help expedite work on both sides of the road.
With the addition of one lane on either sides, the width of the road would be increased by about 7m — 3.5m on each side. The cost of the work is estimated at Rs219 crore.
Vikas Patil, who regularly takes the stretch for commuting, said the road required urgent attention to address the daily woes. “The stretch up to Shikrapur cannot be called a highway, as it has lot of punctures. The road should either have a flyover or an underpass at the major junctions,” Patil said.
Kharadi resident Ajay Sathe said, “The PWD should ensure that there’s no delay in the work. It should also ensure that the work does not obstruct traffic.”
The public works department (PWD) has started making the Pune-Ahmednagar highway’s Wagholi-Shikrapur stretch a six-lane road. Officials said the department was looking forward to complete widening of the Wagholi stretch of the highway on a priority basis and put an end to the daily snarls.
The nearly 26km stretch from Wagholi to Shikrapur will have a lane each on both sides, making it a six-lane facility. The officials said the existing four-lane stretch was insufficient to cater to to the increased vehicular load and the entire road widening work was likely to take two years.
The PWD has mobilized the machinery for the work on the Wagholi stretch. “Shifting of the underground utility lines, cables and removal of encroachments has been started along the 1,200m stretch starting from Wagholi. There is a plan to widen the road (3,300m stretch) by the end of May. This will cover the portion around Wagholi that often faces traffic snarls,” a PWD official said.
Frequent commuters and local residents have been complaining about the chaotic traffic on Ahmednagar road.
The issue was also raised during the recent meeting with district guardian minister Ajit Pawar to discuss various issues in Wagholi, which has been witnessing a significant rise in residential projects.
The PWD officials said the six-lane project would not face any hurdles, as land acquisition was not required to widen the road. The officials said the department has the right of way that would help expedite work on both sides of the road.
With the addition of one lane on either sides, the width of the road would be increased by about 7m — 3.5m on each side. The cost of the work is estimated at Rs219 crore.
Vikas Patil, who regularly takes the stretch for commuting, said the road required urgent attention to address the daily woes. “The stretch up to Shikrapur cannot be called a highway, as it has lot of punctures. The road should either have a flyover or an underpass at the major junctions,” Patil said.
Kharadi resident Ajay Sathe said, “The PWD should ensure that there’s no delay in the work. It should also ensure that the work does not obstruct traffic.”
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