E-Paper
Now Oct 2022 deadline for completion of Katraj-Navale bridge highway work
The work which started back in November 2019 is still going on and now, the PWD department has postponed the deadline for completion to October 2022
Commuters have been facing daily risk not to mention heavy traffic jams along the stretch of highway from Katraj to Navale bridge chowk for the past more than three years owing to various repair and development works being carried out by the Public Works Department (PWD). The works which started back in November 2019 are still going on and now, the PWD department has postponed the deadline for completion to October 2022.
The 4 km-long stretch is surrounded by a large number of residential housing societies, small shops and factories due to which there is a large number of commuters round-the-clock. As the stretch of highway is only 17 metre-wide, plans are afoot to increase the width by over 8 metre on both sides. Towards this end, works including cutting the hilly rocks on both sides of the highway, removing encroachments, constructing service roads and installing various pipelines are currently underway. While the works were impacted in-between by the Covid-19 pandemic, they have still not been completed in the last one-and-a-half years.
Mahesh Patil, national highway state PWD Pune division executive engineer, said, “There is a challenge before us to complete the remaining work along this highway stretch wherein we have to go through the rainy season. Since the last few weeks, various works such as installing underground pipelines and wires have been carried out by MNGL, PMC and other government agencies. With these changes, it is taking more time and we have now set an October 2022 deadline to complete the work.”
Works such as bypass extension and service road repairs have been underway for the last more than three years due to which commuters face a daily risk to their lives. Several accidents have occurred along the stretch over the past few months and several lives have been lost due to poor road infrastructure. Sagar Abhave, a local who stays nearby, said, “I travel daily along this road and it takes half-an-hour during peak hours to pass through this stretch due to heavy traffic jams. There are no proper safety arrangements on both sides where the hilly parts have been cut down.”
While Atul Namekar, secretary of the Sinhagad road-Warje residents’ association, said, “Since the easing of lockdown restrictions, works along this stretch have resumed but they are going on at a snail’s pace. We want the works to be carried out but at the same time, safety precautions need to be taken by the contractors. Also, government authorities involved in this work should monitor it. Otherwise who will take responsibility in case of mishaps?”
