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Two flyovers may be razed in Pune for 40-km multilevel flyover, metro project
Hadapsar Gadital and Magarpatta Chowk flyovers are likely to be razed as part of the corridor planned between Bhairoba Nullah and Yavat on Solapur highway
Pune: After the demolition of the flyover at Savitribai Phule Pune University Chowk, two more flyovers—at Hadapsar Gadital and the newer one at Magarpatta Chowk—are likely to be razed as part of a proposed 40-km multilevel corridor planned between Bhairoba Nullah and Yavat on the Solapur highway. Consultants working on the project have recommended the demolition, sources said.
Hadapsar MLA Chetan Tupe said the Centre is executing the multilevel flyover project, which will run from Bhairoba Nullah to Yavat, and that an elevated Metro corridor is also proposed along the same alignment. “To construct the multilevel flyover, the existing flyovers near Magarpatta and Hadapsar Gadital will have to be demolished,” Tupe said.
While the decision is yet to be finalised, Tupe said the suggestion should be viewed pragmatically. “If the city is to get a 40-km multilevel flyover, we should accept the technical assessment instead of turning it into an ego issue. The Hadapsar Gadital flyover is old and requires frequent maintenance. The Magarpatta flyover is new, but for long-term gains we must respect the opinion of technical experts,” he added.
Officials from the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), speaking on condition of anonymity, said the project is a Central government initiative and includes plans for a Metro corridor integrated with the flyover. “Several cities have combined Metro and multilevel flyover structures. In Pune too, similar integration has been done at the SPPU Chowk and Nal Stop,” an official said.
According to officials, retaining the existing flyovers would make construction of the 40-km corridor technically unfeasible. While the work is expected to cause disruption for a few years, the completed six-lane flyover from Bhairoba Nullah to Yavat is expected to ease congestion for Hadapsar residents as well as commuters from Solapur Road.
Tupe reiterated that suggestions, if any, should be discussed with experts. “For long-term benefits, some hard decisions are necessary. Practical solutions must be worked out with technical teams,” he said.
Civic officials said the project has reached the tendering stage and will be executed by the National Highways Authority of India. Union road transport minister Nitin Gadkari has been spearheading the project and had held multiple meetings with the then guardian minister Ajit Pawar. During those discussions, Pawar had directed technical teams to conduct a detailed study, following which the recommendation to demolish the existing flyovers was made, officials said.
