Building Pune: How a proposed 25-km flyover can ease traffic congestion on Pune-Solapur highway
The Maharashtra government has decided to address traffic congestion on the Pune-Solapur highway by constructing a 25-km flyover from Hadapsar to Yavat, according to officials.
The project will be implemented by the Maharashtra State Infrastructure Development Corporation (MSIDC). In a recent resolution, the government announced that the elevated route from Hadapsar to Yavat on National Highway 65, between Pune and Solapur, will be developed to address traffic issues.
'Traffic jams are witnessed on the existing highway. The route is important for Pune and Solapur district to transport agricultural products, industrial goods and for other commercial purposes,' said Pradnya Walke, a Deputy Secretary in the state government.
The 25-km six-lane flyover will be constructed from Hadapsar to Yavat on the existing highway, which will also be expanded to six lanes underneath. Also, a 6.5-km stretch of the highway from Yavat to Solapur will be expanded to six lanes.
'The estimated project cost is Rs 5,262.36 crore, which will be implemented on a build-operate-transfer (BOT) basis. The state government will impose a toll on all vehicles once the project opens for public use,' said an MSIDC officer.
The toll will only be collected through FastTag, GPS, or other advanced technology systems as specified by the MSIDC. He added that the state government will review the toll rates every three years.
The state government will provide funds for existing highway expansion only, and the remaining work will be done through a public-private partnership. If the proposed flyover has to be diverted due to the proposed Pune Metro rail line, then the MSIDC will have to seek permission from the state government.
The proposed flyover on the Pune-Solapur highway is similar to the proposed Wagholi-Shirur flyover on the Pune-Ahmednagar highway and the greenfield project between Pune and Aurangabad.
The state government aims to improve the traffic situation on highways while also reducing the impact at entry points and within the city of Pune. Plans are in place to divert heavy vehicles through a proposed ring road that will connect all highways passing through the city.
The construction of the flyover from Wagholi to Shirur is expected to begin soon, while the missing link on the Pune-Mumbai Expressway is nearing completion. This missing link, which bypasses Lonavala on the Pune-Mumbai Expressway, is expected to save passengers over half an hour in travel time and reduce fuel consumption for vehicles.
Ajay Jadhav is an Assistant Editor with The Indian Express, Pune. He writes on Infrastructure, Politics, Civic issues, Sustainable Development and related stuff. He is a trekker and a sports enthusiast.
Ajay has written research articles on the Conservancy staff that created a nationwide impact in framing policy to improve the condition of workers handling waste.
Ajay has been consistently writing on politics and infrastructure. He brought to light the lack of basic infrastructure of school and hospital in the hometown of Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde even as two private helipads were developed by the leader who mostly commutes from Mumbai to Satara in helicopter.
Ajay has been reporting on sustainable development initiatives that protects the environment while ensuring infrastructure development. ... Read More
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