Finally, the Chandani Chowk Flyover will be inaugurated by union transport minister Nitin Gadkari on August 12. The decision comes after completion of the rest of the connecting bridge and underpasses at Chandani Chowk, which has been the focal point of traffic jams for the past several years. The bridge will be opened for traffic immediately after the inauguration.
Pune district collector Rajesh Deshmukh said, “All the road work, including the flyover and underpasses at Chandani Chowk, has been completed. Union transport minister Nitin Gadkari will inaugurate it on Saturday, August 12. This route will be opened for traffic.”
The preparations, finishing touches, and beautification efforts were seen taking place on Wednesday. Authorities are trying to ensure that the newly constructed flyover is visually appealing and functional.
This project could potentially provide much-needed relief to commuters who have been facing severe traffic chaos in the area.
With Chandani Chowk facing continuous traffic jams for many years now, Gadkari himself visited the area in August last year. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) was brought in and the groundbreaking ceremony of the flyover was performed by Gadkari.
One of the major issues which travellers are facing is that of traffic congestion from the NDA Road side ramp during peak hours with long queues of vehicles seen during peak hours on weekdays. It is a similar situation with the service road going down towards the Kothrud side which commuters are finding too steep.
{{/usCountry}}One of the major issues which travellers are facing is that of traffic congestion from the NDA Road side ramp during peak hours with long queues of vehicles seen during peak hours on weekdays. It is a similar situation with the service road going down towards the Kothrud side which commuters are finding too steep.
{{/usCountry}}Constant delays
The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) faced several delays, mainly due to problems in land acquisition, and the deadline for completion of the flyover was extended several times. Gadkari then held a review meeting in Pune and instructed that the work be completed till August. Now that the flyover has been completed, a replica of the military tank is being installed at Chandani Chowk.
Chief minister Eknath Shinde, too, had visited Chandani Chowk at the end of August last year and directed that the old bridge be demolished to avoid traffic congestion. Accordingly, the old bridge was demolished using explosives on October 2, 2022 to facilitate the smooth flow of traffic.