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MC directs civic officials to complete Sadhu Vaswani railway overpass by Dec. 2026
After a review of the project, Ram asked civic officials to expedite the work while ensuring close coordination with the railway and traffic police departments
Pune municipal commissioner Naval Kishore Ram directed civic officials to complete the Sadhu Vaswani railway overpass by December 2026 during a site inspection on Tuesday. After a review of the project, Ram asked civic officials to expedite the work while ensuring close coordination with the railway and traffic police departments.
“Considering the technical complexity of the project, the heavy railway traffic and the coordination required with various departments, the work must be accelerated and completed by the end of December 2026. The project should be closely monitored to ensure that there is no further delay,” Ram said. He will conduct monthly site inspections to review progress and ensure that the project remains on schedule. The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) project department is coordinating with railway authorities, traffic police and other agencies to execute the work without affecting railway safety. Officials have also been asked to ensure that all technical requirements are met while speeding up construction.
The project involves a technically challenging 54-metre open web girder railway span with more than 240 trains passing through the railway section every day, making safety and coordination critical during construction. The project was scheduled to be completed by December 2026 with work starting in June 2024. However, actual construction began nearly a year later due to several challenges faced by the civic body in obtaining clearances and resolving technical issues. The PMC had to secure permissions and complete laying a water pipeline beneath the railway track, revise parts of the project plan, and obtain permission from the railway ministry. An existing overhead water pipeline having a diameter of one metre was obstructing work on the railway span which has now been shifted underground. The work was further delayed due to traffic diversions, coordination with the police department, and changes proposed in the project. These issues have now been ironed out, allowing the civic body to accelerate the project, officials said. Furthermore, the civic project department has appointed a new contractor to remove the existing overhead truss structure at the span. The work is expected to be completed within a week. Once the truss is removed, the PMC plans to complete the launch of the 54-metre open web girder by the end of September. Around 75% of the project work has been completed, according to officials. After work on the railway span is completed, work on the remaining three spans will be taken up simultaneously to speed up the project.
Pankaj Bhagat, a daily commuter and resident of Wanowrie, said, “Travelling through Bund Garden Road and Wadia College Chowk has been difficult for commuters for a long time, especially during peak hours. The absence of an overpass adds to congestion and delays on adjoining roads. If the project is completed by December as promised, it will provide much-needed relief to daily commuters. We hope that the deadline is strictly followed and the bridge is opened without any further delay.”
Another commuter, Seema Jagtap, said, “The project has faced several delays, and commuters have had to bear the impact for several months. With heavy traffic and heavy rains, this is a crucial link for the area. Commuters get stuck in the gridlock starting from Wadia College Chowk to the Divisional Commissionerate office. The PMC should maintain the pace of work and ensure that the final construction is safe and durable.”
During the municipal commissioner’s site visit, additional municipal commissioner Omprakash Divate, chief engineer (projects) Dinkar Gojare, chief engineer (roads) Rajesh Bankar, deputy commissioners Asha Raut and Santosh Varule, along with other officials and staff, were also present.
