Wakad–Balewadi Link Road Stuck Midway; Jayesh Murkute Raises Concerns Over Planning
Wakad–Balewadi Link Road Stuck Midway; Jayesh Murkute Raises Concerns Over Planning
A long-promised connector between two fast-growing suburbs exists only in fragments, with delays now linked to land issues and alleged changes in the Development Plan.
The much-anticipated 24-metre-wide Wakad–Balewadi connecting road continues to remain incomplete, years after it was announced as a key link to ease traffic and improve connectivity between the two suburbs. On ground, the road tells a confusing story. Wide and usable in parts, it abruptly narrows or ends altogether, highlighting the gap between civic announcements and actual execution.
While one stretch of the road is operational and gives an impression of steady progress, work beyond a crucial bridge section has not begun. The primary reason, according to local observers, is that land required for the remaining stretch has still not been fully acquired. This has led residents to question how construction could proceed without securing the entire alignment in advance.
The delay has shifted public discourse from timelines to intent. Social worker Jayesh Murkute has pointed to repeated changes in the Development Plan as a major reason for the project being stuck. According to him, the original DP showed a clear alignment towards Balewadi along with a service road towards the highway, but those alignments are now being altered.
“Land acquisition for the remaining portion has not moved forward,” Murkute said. “When DP alignments are changed midway, it creates fresh objections, confusion and delays. The process effectively starts all over again.”
Murkute further alleged that these changes benefit select landholders while disrupting the original plan. “When the road’s alignment is altered on paper, it decides whose land will be acquired and whose will be avoided. Later, when farmers or small landowners object, they are blamed for delaying development,” he said.
Adding to the concerns are claims that some of the work already completed may now be dismantled. There is talk of demolishing newly built road curbs in one section to accommodate a revised alignment, potentially leading to wastage of public funds. Landowners who have already given up land for parts of the project, including the bridge, say they are still waiting for promised Transfer of Development Rights (TDR).
A stakeholder associated with the project, Rakesh Balwadkar, explained the situation further. “After the bridge, the road splits towards Balewadi and the highway. If that alignment is blocked, the new proposal involves breaking existing curbs and rerouting the road from inside survey number 46, with a complex gradient. Multiple changes have already been made, and more are being proposed. This will increase costs and nullify earlier expenditure,” he said.
Balwadkar also highlighted unresolved compensation issues. “My land was acquired for the bridge, but the TDR has not been given yet. One plot is now linked to three different projects. Planning a DP road requires a clear and fixed alignment, which is missing here,” he added.
With incomplete stretches, stalled land acquisition, and allegations of repeated DP changes, residents of Wakad and Balewadi are left with more questions than answers. The civic administration has yet to clearly explain the reasons behind the delays or confirm the final alignment of the road.
Originally envisioned as a solution to congestion and long travel times, the Wakad–Balewadi link road has instead become a symbol of civic uncertainty. Until authorities place a transparent, fixed plan in the public domain and resolve land and compensation issues, the 24-metre road is likely to remain a promise only partially fulfilled.
