Pune Ring Road Project Stalls Amid Funding Dispute Between PMRDA and PMC
Pune Ring Road Project Stalls Amid Funding Dispute Between PMRDA and PMC
Delay in land acquisition puts major traffic-relief project on hold; final decision now rests with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
Pune: The much-awaited internal ring road project aimed at reducing traffic congestion in Pune has come to a halt due to a funding dispute between Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority and Pune Municipal Corporation.
The issue began after the state government transferred administrative control of 23 villages to the Pune Municipal Corporation. Following this, PMRDA stated that since these areas are now under PMC, the civic body should bear the cost of land acquisition for the ring road. However, PMC has refused, arguing that the project was originally planned by PMRDA and hence the authority should handle the expenses.
Due to this disagreement, work on key stretches passing through villages such as Wadachi Wadi, Pisoli, Yewalewadi, and Ambegaon Khurd has been delayed.
The proposed ring road is 83 km long and 65 meters wide, requiring land acquisition of around 115 hectares across 13 villages. While land measurement in 11 villages has already been completed and valuations are finalized, the process has stopped due to a lack of funds.
Officials say that if funding was arranged, land could have been acquired through direct purchase. However, the ongoing conflict between the two authorities has completely stalled progress.
A high-level meeting chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is expected soon to resolve the issue. If the state directs PMRDA to bear the cost, the project may move forward. Otherwise, there are concerns that this crucial infrastructure project may remain stuck on paper, leaving Pune’s traffic problems unresolved.
