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PMC now sets March 2027 deadline for Katraj-Kondhwa Road after land acquisition delays
The latest deadline comes after delays in acquiring the remaining properties pushed the project further behind schedule
The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has now set yet another deadline of March 2027 for completing the long-delayed Katraj-Kondhwa Road widening project, after failing to meet the June 2026 target set by municipal commissioner Naval Kishore Ram.
The latest deadline comes after delays in acquiring the remaining properties pushed the project further behind schedule. The civic administration had hoped to complete land acquisition by the end of May and open the widened road to traffic by June 2026. However, several land-related hurdles remained unresolved even after the deadline. On Wednesday, the Municipal Commissioner visited the stretch and reviewed the progress.
“Reviewed Katraj-Kondhwa Road progress. Land acquisition & utility shifting issues pending for 12 yrs are resolved. Road targeted for completion by March 2027, easing congestion for 2+ lakh vehicles daily,” said Ram on X while thanking Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for ensuring funds for land acquisition.
The project, conceived as an 84-metre-wide road and later revised to a 50-metre width, has been delayed for years primarily because of land acquisition. The foundation stone was laid in 2017, but progress remained slow, with less than half the work completed over the following eight years.
The road is a crucial link between the Pune-Satara and Pune-Solapur highways, and its widening is expected to provide significant relief to commuters travelling between Katraj, Kondhwa, Undri and surrounding areas.
In June, the PMC had intensified efforts to acquire the remaining land, including warning property owners that it would use police assistance to take possession of acquired properties if they failed to hand over the land. At the time, the civic body had acquired about 100 of the 109 properties required for the project.
The PMC also launched demolition and anti-encroachment drives along the road to clear obstructions and enable widening work.
Despite these measures, the June deadline was missed, with construction still incomplete on several stretches. The civic administration subsequently pushed the completion target to March 2027.
The repeated changes in deadline have frustrated residents and commuters who have been facing congestion, potholes, waterlogging and dust along the busy corridor. The project has remained stalled or progressed slowly since its foundation stone was laid in 2017, making the latest deadline a significant test for the civic administration.
PMC officials have maintained that resolving the remaining land acquisition issues will allow work to progress faster on the acquired stretches. The administration is now expected to focus on completing the pending acquisition and ensuring that construction progresses simultaneously rather than allowing further delays in one process to hold up the entire project.
