Road and Traffic Planning Departments Receive Highest Allocation in Pune Municipal Budget
Road and Traffic Planning Departments Receive Highest Allocation in Pune Municipal Budget
Pune: The municipal budget has allocated the highest funds to the road and traffic planning departments. A total provision of ₹2,000 crore has been made for these two departments in the budget, ensuring progress in road and traffic-related projects, ultimately providing relief to citizens.
Pune Municipal Commissioner Dr. Rajendra Bhosale presented the Municipal Corporation’s budget for the financial year 2025-26 before the Standing Committee. The budget, amounting to ₹12,618 crore, prioritizes funding for road and traffic planning.
To address traffic congestion, last year’s budget included a decision to develop 33 missing link roads from the development plan. However, only three of these projects have commenced. Since road construction is crucial to easing congestion, acquiring land for these projects is a priority, and funds have been allocated accordingly in the budget.
The administration has identified 33 key roads with the highest traffic volume. In the first phase, work on 15 roads has been completed, and planning for the remaining 18 is underway. Measures such as road widening, pedestrian safety enhancements, directional signboards, and repainting of medians will be undertaken.
Key roads, flyovers, and grade separators will be developed under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model, including projects in Baner, Mohammadwadi, and Kondhwa. Currently, 19 projects are underway in this manner, including a flyover at Gangadham Chowk in Bibwewadi and a bridge over the river in Kharadi.
Sinhagad Road Flyovers to Be Operational by Mid-2025
The flyover at Rajaram Bridge Chowk on Sinhagad Road has been completed and is now open for traffic. Meanwhile, two other flyovers—one from Vitthalwadi to Funtime Cinema and another from Indian Hume Pipe Company Gate to Inamdar Chowk—are 90% complete. The road from Funtime Cinema to Inamdar Chowk is expected to be completed by May 2025. Additionally, the bridge over the river between Suncity and Karvenagar is scheduled for completion by July 2025, significantly easing congestion on Sinhagad Road.
Metro and River Rejuvenation Projects Get Major Allocations
The city’s metro services have received an overwhelming response from citizens. A detailed project report (DPR) for the Swargate-Katraj underground metro route has been submitted for approval to the state and central governments. The budget includes a ₹40 crore allocation for metro-related land acquisition.
Additionally, ₹270 crore has been proposed for the river rejuvenation project, which includes developing riverbanks and constructing riverside roads under the PPP model in exchange for credit notes. The budget also provides for the structural audit of river bridges.
