E-Paper
PMC stays in slow lane on resuming BRTS operations on Satara road
PUNE Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) is yet to decide on restarting Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) operations on the stretch between Swargate to Katraj.
PUNE Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) is yet to decide on restarting Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) operations on the stretch between Swargate to Katraj.
PMC has failed to meet the last four deadlines, with to work on the BRTS route stopped for the past three months now.
The BRTS route on Satara road was shut down two years ago.
Aniruddha Pawaskar, head, PMC road department, who is in charge of BRTS, said, “PMC will start the railing work in order to enclose the dedicated BRTS route in next two to three days. After finishing the railing work, we will work on bus stops at Padmavati, Katraj and Swargate. Once this is done, PMC will resume operations.”
Pawaskar failed to give a deadline for the same. She also added that PMC initially planned to construct 10 bus stops but only managed to complete seven.
A total of Rs100 crore was spent by the PMC for the improvement of the pilot BRTS. Under the BRTS improvement work, PMC widened Satara road at certain stretches and concreted the sections of the road which earlier has tar.
Nitin Kadam , head, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) Parvati assembly constituency, criticised the PMC for delaying the BRTS work. Kadam said, “PMC spend a lot of money on BRTS but has not been able to kick start the operations. The BRTS work on Satara road is ideal example to show how serious the ruling parties in PMC are about completing development work.”
Anil Vaidya, resident Padmavati, said, “Since PMC demolished the barricades on Satara road, it has become very dangerous to cross the road. Vehicles come from both sides and there is no divider present on the road.”
Cost of the Swargate to Katraj BRTS project
In 2016 : Rs 75 crore
In 2018: Rs 105 crore
(Cost increased in 2018 by Rs 30 crore)
Deadlines missed
May 31, 2018
August 1, 2018
December, 2018
March 2019
