The central government has sanctioned Rs 169.15 crore for a six lane flyover at Katraj Chowk, which is expected to resolve the traffic woes on the stretch. Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari recently sanctioned the construction work of the flyover for which the tender process was done a few months ago.
The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) had proposed the flyover and the central government then decided to take up the work as it was on a junction of a National Highway. The junction connects Pune city to the Mumbai-Banglore bypass and the Pune-Solapur highway. There is a PMPML bus stand and pick up point at the spot for many long distance private buses and the area has also witnessed an increase in population density, which has increased traffic flow at the junction.
The flyover will be 1,326 metres long and 24.20 metres wide. It will start from the Pune-Mumbai bypass and end on the Katraj-Kondhwa road. The PMC is also widening the Katraj-Kondhwa Road.
The central government has already taken up the widening of the 3.88 km bypass and seven-metre-wide service road from Navale bridge in Vadgaon Budruk to Katraj junction at a cost of Rs 80 crore. The work also includes construction of 3.25-metre-wide footpaths, widening of two bridges and two pedestrian walkways.
The Rajiv Gandhi zoological park had provided part of its land for the construction of the flyover while urging the central government to ensure measures for safety of animals in the zoo.
NCP MP Supriya Sule had taken up the work of widening and development of the stretch from Navale bridge to Katraj junction with the Union Road Transport and Highway Ministry while raising the issue in Parliament. “I am thankful to Union Minister Nitin Gadkari for sanctioning the necessary funds for the flyover at Katraj junction,” she said. The area comes under the Baramati Lok Sabha constituency represented by her.
Earlier, the central government decided to take up the multi-level flyover at Chandni Chowk, which was experiencing a lot of traffic problems. The PMC was entrusted with acquiring land for the project and shifting utilities in the area while the central government would construct the flyover that would ensure smooth travel in all directions of the junction without hurdles. The junction provides entry into the city from Kothrud and Pashan, National Defence Academy (NDA) and connects to Mulshi. The bypass has been a connecting point to the Information Technology Park at Hinjewadi for residents living in Pashan, Kothrud, Warje, Sinhagad Road and Satara Road.
