Key Infrastructure Projects In Pune Face Delays Due To Crematorium-Related Objections
ACs, TVs, Aquaguard, Chandeliers Worth ₹20 Lakh Missing From Pune Municipal Commissioner’s Bungalow
Pune | April 10, 2025
Two major infrastructure projects in Pune—one a key bridge between Kharadi and Keshav Nagar, and the other a riverside road near Yerawada—are facing significant delays due to objections over crematoriums located along the planned routes.
The bridge project, which was first proposed in 2019, aims to connect survey numbers 68 and 69 in Kharadi to Godrej Properties in Keshav Nagar through a 200-metre-long and 24-metre-wide structure. Despite 80% of the construction being completed—including all pillar work—progress has stalled on the Kharadi side due to the presence of three cremation grounds of different faiths, revealed in a report published by Hindustan Times.
As a result, over 40,000 residents of Keshav Nagar, including nearly 3,000 daily IT commuters to Kharadi, are forced to take longer routes—either a 3-km detour via Hadapsar or a 5-km journey through Mundhwa Bridge—to reach their workplaces.
“The project got administrative approval in 2019, and construction actually began in 2022 after land acquisition issues were resolved,” said Sarang Devare, Deputy Engineer, PMC Road Department. “However, work has now paused because local residents are objecting due to the crematoriums. We’re in dialogue with them to find a resolution and hope to resume work soon.”
Adding pressure to the situation, former Keshav Nagar sarpanch Sandeep Lopkar has warned that if the authorities fail to restart work promptly, residents may be forced to launch protests.
Second Project Near Yerawada Also Stuck
The second stalled project involves a riverside road designed to ease congestion at Shastri Nagar and Wadgaon Sheri Chowks along the busy Ahmednagar Road corridor. This road, which runs parallel to the Pune Metro’s Vanaz-Ramwadi route, is mostly completed except for a 300-metre segment near Yerawada, where another crematorium has become a point of contention.
Nikhil Mijar, PMC Traffic Planner, confirmed, “The entire road is nearly ready except for a 300-metre stretch near a crematorium, which has stalled due to community concerns. This stretch is essential to connect Yerawada Chowk.”
At present, vehicles from Pune Railway Station, Khadki, and Vishrantwadi use Ahmednagar Road to access Kalyani Nagar and Wadgaon Sheri, leading to heavy congestion at key intersections. Once complete, the new riverside road will provide a direct connection from Gunjan Chowk to Kalyani Nagar, significantly easing the traffic burden on the arterial stretch.
