Pune Ring Road Project Cost Estimate Doubles in 17 Years: Details on Revised Plans, Phases and Funding

Long-delayed Pune Ring Road project advances with a massive budget hike and fresh approvals to tackle city’s traffic woes.

The Pune Ring Road project, initially estimated at Rs 20,000 crore, has now more than doubled to over Rs 42,000 crore, as approved by the Maharashtra cabinet on October 4. This ambitious 264-kilometer ring road, divided into inner and outer sections, aims to ease Pune’s increasing traffic congestion by connecting suburban areas to the city through high-speed corridors.

Originally proposed by the Congress-NCP government in 2007 under Vilasrao Deshmukh, the Pune Ring Road project has faced years of delays. However, the project is now gaining momentum, with the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) allocating funds in its 2024-25 budget to initiate work on the inner ring road, focusing on land acquisition and tender processes.

The Pune Ring Road is divided into inner and outer segments managed by different agencies:

   – Inner Ring Road: The PMRDA oversees this segment, which will pass through Pune city, helping address traffic within urban areas.

   – Outer Ring Road: Managed by the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), this section will function as a bypass, diverting long-distance traffic around the city.

The revised budget, led by MSRDC Vice President, attributes the increased costs to updated technology, design modifications and rising material prices. The initial estimates were based on 2017-18 rates, but tenders submitted at current prices reflect the sharp rise in construction costs. He mentioned that contractors would cover any additional expenses related to temporary roads and land acquisition for minor minerals. 

To validate these costs, the Maharashtra cabinet enlisted Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute (VJTI), which completed a review in July 2024. The findings were certified by a committee of chief engineers led by Gaikwad.

With the approved budget, the PMRDA has started the land acquisition process, particularly focusing on the Solu Interchange-Vadgaon Shinde stretch and the Ahmednagar Road-Solapur Road-Satara Road segment. Tenders for all nine packages of the outer ring road have been completed, and construction is expected to begin by year-end.

The Pune Ring Road will cover 128.08 km, with MSRDC, PMC and PMRDA responsible for different portions:

• Phase 1: Solu Interchange to Vadgaon Shinde (4.7 km)

• Phase 2: Pune-Ahmednagar Road to Solapur Road (71.89 km)

• Phase 3: Pune-Solapur Road to Pune-Satara Road (21.23 km)

• Phase 4: Pune-Satara Road to Parandwadi Interchange (44.80 km)

Divided into eastern and western segments, the Pune Ring Road is expected to significantly reduce traffic congestion and improve connectivity between suburban areas and the main city. This project, a longstanding goal for the rapidly growing city, marks a major step forward in Pune’s urban infrastructure development.