Pune: The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has decided to revert to its original plan of widening the Katraj-Kondhwa road to 84 meters, after previously scaling down the project to 50 meters due to financial constraints.

To complete the project, PMC has submitted a proposal to the state government seeking an additional ₹231 crore for land acquisition. Municipal Commissioner Dr. Rajendra Bhosale disclosed that approximately 90,000 square meters of land would need to be acquired for the project.

The road-widening project, initiated six years ago, has faced numerous delays and funding challenges. The 4-kilometer stretch was estimated to require ₹710 crore for land acquisition alone. However, PMC, constrained by a lack of funds, issued a tender for ₹250 crore, only for the project to stall due to insufficient land availability.

The Katraj-Kondhwa road is a vital route that experiences heavy traffic from large vehicles. The narrow width of the road has led to frequent accidents, some of which have been fatal.

Recognizing the urgency, PMC scaled down the project two years ago, reducing the proposed road width to 50 meters. This decision brought the land acquisition cost down to ₹280 crore, of which PMC agreed to contribute ₹80 crore and sought ₹200 crore from the state government. The government allocated ₹140 crore, enabling land acquisition for only 500 meters of the road.

Central Assistance and Revised Plans

In a recent meeting chaired by Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, discussions focused on the Katraj-Kondhwa road. It was suggested that PMC should handle land acquisition, while the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) would take responsibility for the road construction. Following this, PMC decided to proceed with the original plan to widen the road to 84 meters.

The revised project will require acquiring 90,000 square meters of land at an estimated cost of ₹231 crore. PMC has submitted a proposal to the state government for the necessary funds and is optimistic about receiving approval.