Pune News: Bopkhel-Khadki Bridge Nears Opening, Easing Commutes Before Dussehra
Pune News: Bopkhel-Khadki Bridge Nears Opening, Easing Commutes Before Dussehra
The much-anticipated bridge connecting Bopkhel and Khadki over the Mula River is set to open to the public within a week, offering significant relief to thousands of commuters ahead of the Dussehra festival. The bridge spans 1,856 meters in length and 8.40 meters in width, with approach roads measuring 58 meters on the Bopkhel side and 262 meters on the Khadki side.
Initially scheduled to open in August, minor construction delays pushed the inauguration back. However, officials have confirmed that all work is now complete. According to Pramod Ombhase, Joint City Engineer of Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation, the delays were primarily due to legal challenges and the acquisition of land from the defense department, extending the project timeline by 24 months.
The new bridge will significantly reduce travel time for residents and students, cutting the distance to Pimpri-Chinchwad and Pune via Khadki to just 2.9 kilometers. This is a huge improvement from the 16-kilometer detour residents have had to take since a civilian road through the College of Military Engineering (CME) in Dapodi was closed in May 2015 by a Bombay High Court order.
Siddharth Shirole, Shivajinagar MLA, mentioned that discussions with Deputy Chief Ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar are underway to finalize the date for the bridge’s official inauguration.
