Accident-prone Dehu road-Katraj stretch will be elevated: Gadkari

Gadkari headed a review meeting of highways in Pune region and works carried away by his ministry, in Delhi on Tuesday

PUNE: Union minister for road transport and highways Nitin Gadkari said on Tuesday that the accident-prone Dehu road to Katraj bypass would be elevated. The minister has instructed officials to chalk out plans to turn Nashik phata-Chakan and Khed-Chakan Shikrapur highways into elevated stretch and multilayer.

Union minister for road transport and highways Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday took review of various highway works going on in Pune region. (TWITTER)

Gadkari headed a review meeting of highways in Pune region and works carried away by his ministry, in Delhi on Tuesday.

The minister later tweeted, “I took review of various highway works going on in Pune region.”

Many elected representatives and Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) have raised the issue of accidents taking place at Navale bridge and Katraj road. An IIT team was also appointed to examine the mishap spots and suggest steps towards road safety.

Against this background, Gadkari instructed National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) officials to explore options of elevated highway on NH-48 on the stretch between Katraj-Chandni chowk, Navale bridge, Ravet and Dehu road. The elevated stretch would facilitate highway traffic to pass through elevated road and city traffic on ground level. He cited example of such a stretch in Nashik city.

The minister said, “Our department would erect a logistic park at Talegaon. As there is heavy traffic between Nashik phata and Khed due to Chakan automobile hub, NHAI should begin work on constructing Nashik phata to Chakan highway elevated stretch.”

On the proposed ring road plan, Gadkari suggested that the Talegaon-Chakan-Shikrapur stretch of the project should be multilayer.