More traffic woes ahead as Pune civic body proposes 8 new flyovers

The eight additional flyovers have been proposed at Vishrantwadi, Khardai, Ganesh Khind Road, Yerawada, Hadapsar, Alandi Road and Shastrinagar among others

At a time when citizens are claiming that traffic congestion has increased due to flyovers being constructed by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) in different parts of the city, the civic body has gone ahead and planned eight new flyovers and grade separators across Pune. The eight additional flyovers have been proposed at Vishrantwadi, Khardai, Ganesh Khind Road, Yerawada, Hadapsar, Alandi Road and Shastrinagar among others.

At present, there are 50 bridges and flyovers in Pune city out of which, 18 flyovers and 32 bridges are on the Mula-Mutha River. (Mahendra Kolhe/HT Photo)

While presenting the ₹11,601 crore annual budget for 2024-25, municipal commissioner Vikram Kumar said, “The civic body will develop road infrastructure that will improve the traffic situation.”

At present, there are 50 bridges and flyovers in Pune city out of which, 18 flyovers and 32 bridges are on the Mula-Mutha River. As per the Pune City Development Plan (DP 2041), the PMC has proposed to construct 34 flyovers, railway-overbridges (ROBs) and grade operators. Four flyovers are under construction in different parts of the city.

In June 2016, non-governmental organisation (NGO), Parisar, had organised a public discussion on its study called ‘Understanding the flyover phenomenon’. The study showed that people don’t always see flyovers as helpful. Usually, flyovers are built because of traffic jams in some areas and people asking for them. But politics can also decide if a flyover project happens or not. Building flyovers needs a lot of public money and can bother citizens during construction.

Ramchandra Gohad, a senior urban town planner, said that improving the city’s traffic requires solid infrastructure, which is currently lacking. Over the years, authorities from Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad have often suggested building flyovers as a solution for traffic congestion. However, while flyovers have been constructed to ease congestion at intersections, they have merely shifted the traffic congestion from one area to another.

Proposed eight flyovers/grade separators in 2024-25 budget

Grade separator and flyover at Vishrantwadi

Grade separator or flyover at Shastrinagar Chowk

Grade separator at Kharadi Bypass

Flyover on railway line in Sasane Nagar (Hadapsar)

Railway underpass at Range Hills

Flyover at Thackeray Chowk in Yerawada

Flyover at Ambedkar Chowk on Alandi Road

Four flyovers or grade separators on Ganesh Khind Road