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India Today
5 days ago
- Automotive
- India Today
How Pune's indestructible JM Road shames contractors, babus, netas alike
"We don't do that here." This Black Panther line could sum up the mood of diners stepping out of one of the many restaurants on Pune's Jangli Maharaj Road, after watching clips of crater-filled streets elsewhere in India. Videos of dust-choked lanes, pond-sized puddles, streets with cheese-like holes and collapsing bridges are playing out on TV and shared on social media. Even as newly constructed roads and bridges crumble, Pune's Jangli Maharaj (JM) Road, built almost 50 years ago, stands out as a unique civic marvel. In all these years, the 2.5-km road hardly needed repairs, and came with a warranty from the JM Road, constructed in 1976, has stood the test of time, staying intact for nearly half a century until it was renovated in 2014. The road, in fact, needed re-tarring 35 years after it was opened to the generations, Punekars have listed the Jangli Maharaj Road among things they are proud Marketing executive Siddharth Laxmeshwar, in his 40s and raised in Pune, says Punekars always swear by Jangli Maharaj Road when it comes to quality infrastructure. His father, Upendra Laxmeshwar, in his 70s, fondly recalls how good the road has always been, so much so that in his youth he "used it as a racetrack at night"."I have personally done 130 kmph on JM Road," Laxmeshwar Sr, a Pune-based musician, tells India Today Digital. Built in 1976, Pune's Jangli Maharaj Road, now lined with popular restaurants and some important temples, has only needed a few repairs and upgrades in all these remarkable condition and longevity must put today's netas and babus to shame, especially in a time when headlines like these are all over the place: "Rs 6.5 crore Chikkodi bridge in Karnataka collapses just three months after inauguration", "Delhi airport roof caves in months after inauguration", "Heavy-duty truck swallowed by caved-in road in Gurugram".PUNE'S JM ROAD A CONTRAST TO INDIA'S CRUMBLING INFRASocial media is overflowing with videos and photos showing Indian cities' crumbling public infrastructure. A few weeks ago, citizens on social media dared netas and babus alike to fix the Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari promises Indian highways will be "better than the US in two years", even the recently constructed signature Delhi-Mumbai Expressway has developed a is for a highway cosntructed by the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI), forget the roads inside cities, under state PWDs and urban local urban can't residents of every Indian city pull the Black Panther line when it comes to potholes and broken roads? Like Pune's 2.5-km Jangli Maharaj Road, a civic engineering marvel that's stayed strong for 49 road connects the Jangli Maharaj Temple in Shivajinagar to the Deccan Gymkhana is named after a Maharaj, also known as Vishwatmak Gurudev, was born in 1818 in Baroda (now Vadodara in Gujarat) and gained his name from meditating in the dense Bhamburde jungles of Pune's Shivajinagar, where the road now stands. A disciple of Swami Samarth of Akkalkot, he was a towering figure over seven feet tall, known for his hatha yoga expertise and spiritual road is culturally important too. The three 8th-century rock-cut cave sanctums known as the Pataleshwar Cave Temple, along with the Jangali Maharaj Samadhi (resting place) Mandir, are located on this road, which is a vital link in Pune's there's no denying that Pune's 2.5-km Jangli Maharaj Road is a civic engineering marvel. Here's the road's DROUGHT AND FLOOD PAVED WAY FOR JM ROAD'S TRANSFORMATION IN PUNEPune's JM Road is an arterial road constructed in 1976 by Recondo, a Mumbai-based company owned by two Parsi 1972, Maharashtra faced a severe drought, followed by devastating floods in 1973 that destroyed Pune's Shirole, then a 21-year-old corporator and Standing Committee chairman, questioned why Mumbai's roads withstood heavier engineers pointed to a Parsi-owned Mumbai company, Recondo, which used advanced "hot mix" technology for durable who was then the Chairman of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) Standing Committee, was determined to replicate this in Pune, and convinced Recondo to take on JM Road's reconstruction, says additional commissioner of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), Omprakash Dilwate. Built in 1890 by his disciples, the Jangali Maharaj Temple (L) in Pune's Shivajinagar stands on the saint's samadhi beside the ancient Pataleshwar cave temple. The Pataleshwar Cave Temple, which is on the JM Road, was carved out of a single basalt rock in the 8th century. (Images: Mukul Hinge/WikiCommons and Arun Kumar/GoogleMaps) Defying bureaucratic norms, no public tender was issued. The contract was awarded directly to Recondo with a written guarantee that the road would remain pothole-free for 10 years, with any repairs at no cost to the city, according to Road, constructed at a cost of Rs 15 lakh, was inaugurated on January 1, road has remained flawless, requiring only minor maintenance since."The main road itself has remained unchanged. In 2010, it was resurfaced with tar, but in all these years, there has never been a single instance of potholes forming here," he tells India Today 2014, the JM Road underwent a makeover as part of Pune's Smart City Mission. Manicured flowerbeds, a cycle track, wider sidewalks, and improved lighting came to enhance walkability and what exactly did the Recondo, run by two Parsi brothers, do differently? What was the hot-mix technology they used? And, why has Pune's JM Road remained a shining example of how roads should be?BEST MATERIALS, WORKMANSHIP, PLANNING BEHIND PUNE'S JM ROAD'S POTHOLE-FREE STREAKJM Road's longevity is a result of a combination of meticulous design, the use of the best materials and the "hot mix" technology, which back then was new to India. It involved heating and mixing aggregates with bitumen, then laying and compacting the asphalt while hot to create a smooth, long-lasting surface."A long-lasting road is possible only if there is quality material used and the workmanship is good," Pune-based civic activist Vivek Velankar told The Times of India in 2022."The best materials were used and maintained throughout the procedure for Jangli Maharaj Road. The road is devoid of potholes even after 35 years since," Mahesh Zagade, a former Pune Municipal Commissioner, told the newspaper. Lined with sprawling shade trees, Jangli Maharaj Road runs parallel to the Mutha River and passes close to Pune's Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj Garden. (Images: Omkar Wable/GoogleStreetView) advertisementThe architects of JM Road designed it with the foresight that it wouldn't have to be dug up in the future."Ducts for cable laying and storm water drains should be wide enough and along the edges of the road to ensure that they need not be dug once done. The excess axle load due to heavy vehicles can ruin a road," Zagade JM Road's design prevented digging for civic works, which is a common cause of road damage Marketing executive Siddharth Laxmeshwar, who said Punekars swore by Jangli Maharaj Road, said, "People used to refer to it as a British-era road, though that isn't true. I don't remember ever seeing it being repaired during my childhood.""However, since its tarring in recent years, the road has needed some maintenance," he 2014, the JM Road underwent a makeover. A two-layer tarring was done, lane marking added, junction beautification, storm water drainage improvements, reported The Times of India that year."Since then, the municipal corporation has worked on this road twice. On one occasion, under the Smart City project, a tender was issued to widen the footpaths along the road, and as part of this, a walking plaza and a cycling track were newly developed," says PMC's additional commissioner, Omprakash today, the JM Road's legacy and example strikes the desired and legitimate contrast as India grapples with crumbling streets and pothole-ridden roads, including those in Pune city. The JM Road's story contrasts with India's infrastructure shoddy construction, driven by corruption and lack of accountability, is what is said to be behind it. JM Road shows that durable infrastructure is possible with quality materials, advanced technology, and integrity. For this very reason, JM Road has stood firm for nearly half a century.- Ends(With inputs from Omkar Wable)
India Gazette
03-06-2025
- Business
- India Gazette
Uttarakhand: CM Dhami attends review meeting on ropeway project developments
Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], June 3 (ANI): Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Tuesday attended a review meeting with Union Road Minister Nitin Gadkari on the ropeway project developments in the state. Earlier in the day, Dhami praised Gadkari and said there was no better teacher than him. Addressing the convocation ceremony of the Graphic Era Deemed University in Dehradun, Dhami stated that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the state had been working towards becoming a leader in education. 'If you want to learn the art of project management, then there can be no better teacher than Gadkari ji... His speciality is completing very important projects at a low cost. You have won the hearts of the people by building a network of roads from small villages to remote hilly areas of the state,' Dhami stated. 'Under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi, our state government is working to make Uttarakhand a leader in education, like other regions. Machine learning, AI and big data courses are being conducted in colleges. Scientific research is being promoted in the state,' Dhami further added. In March, the Union Cabinet approved the construction of a ropeway project from Govindghat to Hemkund Sahib Ji in Uttarakhand. The 12.4-kilometre project will be developed at a total capital cost of Rs 2,730.13 crore. Currently, the journey to the Hemkund Sahib Ji is a challenging 21-km uphill trek from Govindghat, which can be done on foot, with ponies or palanquins. The proposed ropeway is planned to provide convenience to pilgrims visiting the Hemkund Sahib Ji and tourists visiting the Valley of Flowers. It will also ensure all-weather last-mile connectivity between Govindghat and Hemkund Sahib Ji. The ropeway is planned to be developed in a public-private partnership and will be based on a Monocable Detachable Gondola (MDG) from Govindghat to Ghangaria (10.55 km), seamlessly integrated with the most advanced Tricable Detachable Gondola (3S) technology from Ghangaria to Hemkund Sahib Ji (1.85 km). Its design capacity is 1,100 passengers per hour per direction (PPHPD), carrying 11,000 passengers per day. The ropeway project will also generate substantial employment opportunities during construction and operations, as well as in allied tourism industries like hospitality, travel, food & beverage (F&B) and tourism throughout the year. (ANI)
Time of India
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Uttarakhand CM Dhami meets Union Road Minister Nitin Gadkari, disccusses infrastructure projects of state
Uttarakhand CM Dhami meets Union Road Minister Nitin Gadkari, disccusses infrastructure projects of state (Photo: ANI) NEW DELHI: Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Thursday met with Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari in New Delhi and discussed various issues related to important road and infrastructure projects of state. The Chief Minister requested for early reimbursement of the remaining Rs 367.69 crore under the Central Road Infrastructure Fund to the state government and approval of the proposed Rishikesh bypass project . Operation Sindoor IC-814 hijacking mastermind Abdul Rauf Azhar killed in Op Sindoor Pahalgam attack: India flays Pak for opposing TRF mention in UN statement Did Pak shoot down Indian jets? What MEA said The Chief Minister also urged for notification of the state road from Biharigarh to Roshanabad and the road from Kathgodam to Pancheshwar as National Highway and approval of the proposed elevated road over Bindal and Rispana rivers as a loop of NH-07. CM Dhami requested for approval of funds for the upgradation of 20 roads of 508 km length connected to mythological temples under the Manaskhand project and to reimburse the additional expenditure after re-alignment of NH-109. He also requested for approval for other necessary works including additional assistance of Rs110 crore for the Metro corridor along with the proposed elevated road on NH-07. The Chief Minister thanked the Union Minister for giving positive assurance for all the projects. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Legendary Stars: Timeless Icons Boite A Scoop Undo Earlier in the day, CM Dhami met Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupendra Yadav and requested approval for crucial projects aimed at strengthening the state's infrastructure and addressing environmental challenges. During the meeting, CM Dhami sought environmental clearance and the transfer of forest land for the 120MV Sirkari Bhyol Rupasiyabagh Hydroelectric Project on the Gauriganga River. This project is vital for the state's energy needs and development. The Chief Minister also requested approval from the National Wildlife Board (NBWL) for a ropeway project from Triveni Ghat, Rishikesh to Neelkanth Mahadev Temple. He further urged the Union Minister to support the revival of Chaurasi Kutiya (Beatles Ashram), a significant cultural and tourism landmark. In addition, CM Dhami sought special financial assistance of Rs 404 crore from the Central Government under the CAMPA (Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority) scheme. This funding is needed to address the recurring forest fire incidents in the state and bolster the state's environmental management. Expressing his gratitude for the Union Minister's support, CM Dhami emphasized that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the state government is balancing ecological conservation with economic development. He conveyed that these initiatives would not only enhance infrastructure but also provide much-needed relief to the common people. (ANI)
