Pune: Katraj-Kondhwa Road Widening Gets Major Push As PMC Begins Land Acquisition And Demolition Drive

Pune,June 4, 2026: In a significant move aimed at easing chronic traffic congestion on the Katraj-Kondhwa Road, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has stepped up efforts to expedite the long-delayed road widening project connecting Satara Road and Solapur Road.

The civic administration has initiated large-scale land acquisition and enforcement measures after allocating substantial municipal funds for the project. The move gained momentum following financial support from the state government, enabling the completion of compensation awards for affected landowners.

PMC Commissioner Naval Kishore Ram played a key role in advancing the project by making a substantial budgetary provision for land acquisition, a step civic officials described as crucial for removing long-standing hurdles.

According to the administration, the process of taking possession of land required for the road widening has been underway for the past several days under the supervision of Special Land Acquisition Officer Shweta Darunkar. Officials said a majority of the land acquisition process has now been completed.

On June 3, Additional Municipal Commissioner (Special) Omprakash Divte conducted an on-site inspection of the project stretch from Rajas Society Chowk to the Pisoli boundary area. He was accompanied by senior officials from the Road Department, Land Acquisition Department, Property Management Department and the Encroachment Removal Department.

During the inspection, officials reviewed bottlenecks affecting the project and directed concerned departments to expedite pending work.

Strict Action Against Non-Cooperative Landowners

PMC has announced that landowners who refuse or delay handing over land required for the project may face compulsory possession proceedings with police assistance.

Officials have also been directed to remove encroachments and unauthorized constructions located on acquired land within the next two days. Deputy Commissioner (Encroachment) Ramesh Shelar has been tasked with overseeing the drive.

Demolition of Structures Along the Road Corridor

The civic administration clarified that all structures obstructing road development on land already acquired by PMC will be removed. Special teams will be deployed to clear illegal constructions and encroachments falling within the proposed road widening limits.

Authorities said the demolition and clearance campaign is essential to ensure uninterrupted execution of the infrastructure project.

Focus on Speed and Quality

PMC has instructed the Road Department to begin development work immediately on vacant land already under its possession. Officials emphasized that the Road Department, Land Acquisition Department and Property Management Department must work in close coordination to ensure timely completion of the project.

Additional Municipal Commissioner Omprakash Divte warned that negligence or delays by any department would not be tolerated and that strict accountability would be enforced throughout the project’s implementation.

Relief Expected for Commuters

The Katraj-Kondhwa Road has long been one of Pune’s most congested traffic corridors, causing daily hardships for thousands of commuters. Civic officials believe the administration’s aggressive approach to land acquisition and encroachment removal could significantly accelerate the widening project.

Once completed, the project is expected to improve traffic flow, reduce travel time and provide long-term relief to residents and motorists using the busy corridor.

The inspection was attended by senior PMC officials, including Chief Engineer (Roads) Rajesh Bankar, Deputy Commissioner (Encroachment) Ramesh Shelar, Deputy Commissioner (Property Management and Land Acquisition) Prashant Thombre, Superintendent Engineer Ajay Vayase, Executive Engineers Anil Sonawane and Santosh Lanjekar, and Special Land Acquisition Officer Shweta Darunkar, among others.