Proposed Two Hour Ban On Heavy Vehicles On Katraj Kondhwa Road To Alleviate Traffic Woes As Land Acquisition Slows Down

Pune : The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has faced challenges in acquiring land for the widening of the Katraj-Kondhwa Road, with only 19 out of 138 properties secured due to landowners’ preference for cash compensation.

Consequently, the PMC is exploring alternative solutions to ease traffic congestion on this crucial route, including a proposed two-hour ban on heavy vehicles during morning and evening peak hours.

The Katraj-Kondhwa Road has long grappled with traffic jams, making it a point of concern for residents and authorities alike. Deputy Chief Minister and Pune guardian minister, Ajit Pawar, who recently reviewed the road widening project, has now directed officials to implement a ban on heavy vehicles during peak hours, aiming to reduce congestion and mitigate the risk of accidents on the Katraj-Kondhwa Road.

A senior official at PMC had stated, “The area surrounding Katraj-Kondhwa Road is home to large residential societies, schools, marriage halls, offices, banks, temples, and hospitals. This leads to consistent traffic congestion, particularly during school and office rush hours, and has also resulted in accidents. In response to this situation and following Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar’s guidance, we have written to the Pune district collector, Rajesh Deshmukh, the Pune rural police superintendent, and the deputy commissioner of Pune traffic police, proposing a temporary ban on heavy traffic during peak hours to alleviate the traffic problem, especially during busy morning and evening hours.”

He also mentioned that progress is being made in land acquisition, with Ajit Pawar personally intervening to persuade three landowners who collectively own around seven acres of land. This has resolved a significant portion of the land acquisition challenge.

Residents have been vocal about the road widening project. The residents urged the PMC to expedite the project as our children face difficulties during school hours. The situation is becoming increasingly perilous.

The Katraj-Kondhwa Road is a vital arterial route connecting Satara Road to Solapur Road. Despite the heavy outbound traffic from the westerly bypass to Solapur Road, the road’s width is only 15 to 20 meters, resulting in severe congestion along the 3.5-kilometer stretch from Kondhwa through Khadi Machine Chowk to Katraj junction.

In December 2018, the PMC initiated the widening project, initially planning to expand the road from 15 to 20 meters to 84 meters. The estimated project cost, inclusive of goods and services tax (GST), was set at ₹215 crores, with a completion deadline of December 2021. However, the project stalled due to a lack of funds for land acquisition.

Subsequently, the PMC opted to reduce the road width to 50 meters, down from the initial 84 meters, to alleviate financial strain. The total cost of land acquisition for the road is estimated at ₹280 crores, of which the state government has allocated ₹200 crores, while the remaining ₹80 crores will come from the PMC’s budget.