Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) is awaiting approval from the railway administration to proceed with the demolition of the railway section of the Sadhu Vaswani Bridge in Koregaon Park.

While PMC officials have been in constant touch with railway authorities, the final approval for the demolition schedule (block) is expected to be granted next week.

The Sadhu Vaswani Bridge, which has served the city for over 50 years, has been declared unsafe for vehicular traffic.

The PMC had initiated plans to replace it with a new bridge, and the foundation stone was laid in April 2023. Despite the urgency, delays caused by various factors have hindered progress.

In June, after receiving partial approval from the railway administration, demolition began on the Koregaon Park side of the bridge. To date, 40% of the old structure has been dismantled. However, work on the central section over the railway tracks cannot begin without an approved block schedule.

The railway administration has cited high traffic on the tracks as the reason for the delay in granting approval. This has also made continuous demolition work infeasible. Officials anticipate that demolition will be allowed in phases to minimize disruption to train operations.

Relocation of Slums Under the Bridge

Adding to the challenges, slums located beneath the Sadhu Vaswani Bridge need to be removed. The Dhole Patil Ward Office has been tasked with this responsibility, but no action has been taken so far.

PMC officials remain optimistic. "We are actively following up with the railway administration, and approval for the demolition schedule is likely to be granted next week," said Abhijit Ambekar, Executive Engineer, Special Projects Department, PMC.

Once the block schedule is approved, the PMC plans to proceed with the demolition in coordination with the railway administration. Despite the delays, the PMC has assured citizens that the new bridge project remains a priority.