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No land, no budget, no (clear) plan: PMC has Hadapsar stuck in a jam
Land acquisition and budget for the flyover or the underpasses are the major issues delaying the decongestion plan for the area
A year after a proposal was passed to decongest traffic in Hadapsar, the civic body is now constructing two underpasses in Sasanenagar, though locals say the new construction will not help decongest traffic because of a railway crossing in the area.
Residents from Sasanenagar, Handewadi, Kalepadal, Sayyednagar and Undri use the railway crossing on a daily basis amid regular traffic jams.
Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) is now building two underpasses, one near New English School and one near Ravi Park society at Kalepadal. These underpasses will be on the road which runs parallel to the railway track. PMC believes that these underpasses will act as diversions when the road at gate number 7 will have to be shut.
Land acquisition and budget for the flyover or the underpasses are the major issues delaying the decongestion plan for the area.
With multiple new projects coming up, these underpasses will act as mere diversions for when the civic body decides to construct over gate number 7.
The railway crossing at Sasanenagar near Vardhaman township or gate number 7 as the railway authorities call it, is choc-a-bloc every time a train crosses. All trains going towards Miraj and Goa from Pune station use this track. During peak hours, not only do the residents use the road but also several school buses, from Hill Green School, Bishops, Cygnet, Euro Kids and many more, ply on the Hadapsar-Sasanenagar road.
The civic body is yet to finalise on whether to build a flyover or an underpass at the crossing.
A senior official from the projects departments on the condition of anonymity said, “In 2013, we had floated tenders for an underpass at gate number 7, but then we had to cancel it in 2015 due to the land acquisition act. We had deposited about Rs 12 crore for land acquisition with the collector, but after that, we had to pay 2.5 times the ready reckoner rate and the money was sent back.”
“Acquiring the land is another issue since most of the land we need has tenants living on it for many years now, on a lease period of 99 years, and they are not ready to vacate it without adequate compensation,” the official said.
Another senior official, on the condition of anonymity, said, “As of now we have not yet decided whether to build a flyover or an underpass. The underpass would be mean a lot of demolition while a flyover would mean an escalated budget of about Rs 300 crore. Political interference has also been an issue in the area.”
Yogesh Tilekar, former MLA from the area, said, “Work for two underpasses is underway now. I had earlier objected to the 700-metre long underpass at the Sasanenagar railway crossing keeping in mind the safety of woman commuters. Also, the civic body cannot complain about lack of funds because this area has contributed thousands of crores as property tax or building permit charges to the corporation so where is the question of no money for Hadapsar?”
Yogesh Sasane, corporator from Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), said, “The construction of the two underpasses has been planned haphazardly. The opening for the underpasses is right outside the school and there is no continued road for the same which will lead to unnecessary U-turns when the underpass opens up.”
Residents, however, believe that the underpasses will only act as diversions and are not a true solution.
Rahul Bhagat who lives in Vardhaman Township said, “Every afternoon at around 3-3:30 pm one can see multiple school buses stopping right near the track. Parents go to pick their kids and due to traffic it is not safe.”
Sukesh Yadav, who lives in Shivnagari, a few metres away from the track, said, “The civic body has only built dividers on the road and put up a traffic signal. There has been no other development in the area for a traffic issue.”
“Not just for vehicle users, but during traffic, the road is so congested that even pedestrians cannot walk, especially senior citizens and specially-abled. Since 20 years I am living here and I have seen that the situation has gone from bad to worse,” said Yadav.
