Pune: The tender process for the much-anticipated eight-lane elevated corridor spanning 32 kilometers from Nashik Phata to Khed has officially commenced.

This project, approved by the central government and spearheaded by Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, is set to revolutionize traffic management on the Pune-Nashik Highway. The corridor, with an estimated cost of ₹7,500 crore, will include three underpasses within the city limits.

Municipal officials and representatives from the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) held a crucial meeting to discuss the project's logistics. The focus was on determining ramp locations for easy access to the corridor and ensuring smooth traffic flow during construction.

In a meeting chaired at the municipal building, MLA Mahesh Landge, Municipal Commissioner Shekhar Singh, and other key officials reviewed the project.

The corridor will be developed under the Build, Operate, and Transfer (BOT) model, and it aims to mitigate the growing traffic woes in the Pimpri-Chinchwad area.

MLA Landge highlighted the potential traffic congestion during the construction phase and recommended prioritizing certain key junctions and underpasses, particularly in Bhosari and Moshi, to minimize disruption.

He also proposed an underpass near Bhairavnath Secondary and Junior College to ensure the safety of students.

The elevated corridor is expected to bring significant benefits, including reducing travel time from Nashik Phata to Khed to just a few minutes and easing traffic congestion in key areas like Talawade, Chikhali, Moshi, and Bhosari.

Moreover, the project will create a vital link between major economic hubs in the Chakan industrial belt and Pimpri-Chinchwad.