Under construction Sus-Pashan bridge irks commuters
As per PMC officials, in August 2021, 60% of the work was completed and by March 2022 which was the actual deadline, only 80% work had been completed
PUNE The redevelopment work of the Sus-Pashan bridge which was expected to be completed in March 2022 continues to irk commuters as it is going on at a very slow clip. With many IT companies resuming work-from-office from Monday, regular commuters are worried that they will face more traffic jams than what they are facing now. The work is being overseen by the special project department of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) under the guidelines of the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI).
Ajay Wayase, executive engineer, PMC, said, “There was a delay in getting permission to block the highway (Mumbai-Bengaluru highway). Five more months will be required for completion of the work.”
The authorities have blocked half of the highway while the remaining movement of vehicles is continuing. The bridge falls over the Mumbai-Bengaluru highway.
“Once the work is completed from one side, we will open that side and block the other side. There is heavy traffic on the Mumbai-Bengaluru highway every day so it is not possible to completely shut the highway,” said Wayase.
As per PMC officials, in August 2021, 60% of the work was completed and by March 2022 which was the actual deadline, only 80% work had been completed. Commuters have to use alternate roads such as Sus road via Supreme headquarters to Nanawre subway.
“Lot of traffic jams are already occurring and now the traffic will increase as many IT companies are starting work-from-office from Monday. We are using this alternative route from November 2020. The PMC should have completed the work of the flyover by now,” said Kuldeep Nukte, a Pashan resident.
Another resident Tushar Shah who stays at Sai chowk, said, “In the past two years when there was less traffic, officials could have added more manpower to speed up the work but work is going on at a slow pace like it was going on last November. I travel daily along the alternate route and the condition of the road is the worst.”
The proposal of the new bridge was put forward a few years ago by local corporator Baburao Chandere.
The new bridge will measure 18 metre in width as against the existing Pashan-Sus bridge which is 8 metre in width and is proving inadequate given the increase in the number of residential societies and IT companies in Hinjewadi and Sus.
The new flyover will connect the Mumbai-Bengaluru national highway to Sus and Pashan with a 350metre road from the west side.
Sus-Pashan bridge
Total cost: Rs40 crore
Width of new bridge: 18 metre
Missed deadline: March 2022
New deadline: August 2022
