Pune: Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has stepped in to expedite the long-pending expansion of Katraj-Kondhwa Road to its originally planned width of 84 meters.

The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), which had scaled down the project to 50 meters due to land acquisition challenges, has now been directed to resume efforts for acquiring the full stretch.

Speaking about the project, Municipal Commissioner Dr. Rajendra Bhosale revealed that Gadkari has expressed readiness to have the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) take charge of the road’s construction, provided the PMC completes the required land acquisition.

This decision would necessitate the acquisition of 17,200 square meters of land at an estimated cost of ₹124 crore. The PMC is preparing to seek 50% of this funding from the state government.

The Katraj-Kondhwa Road serves as a vital corridor for heavy vehicular traffic traveling between Nagar Road, Solapur Highway, and the city.

The foundation stone for its expansion to 84 meters was laid by Gadkari on October 31, 2018. However, work on the 3.5-kilometer stretch between Rajas Society in Katraj and Khadi Machine Chowk in Kondhwa has been stalled for six years due to land acquisition issues.

Initially, the PMC estimated that ₹710 crore would be required for land acquisition, but delays led to property owners refusing to hand over their land in exchange for Transferable Development Rights (TDR) or Floor Space Index (FSI).

As a result, the PMC decided to reduce the road’s width to 50 meters, for which the state government sanctioned ₹180 crore six months ago.

The renewed push from Gadkari and the NHAI’s willingness to take over construction are expected to bring fresh momentum to the project, which is critical for managing Pune’s growing traffic demands.