Pune: The Pune Municipal Corporation’s (PMC) General Body (GB) meeting on Monday sanctioned a long-pending High Capacity Mass Transit Route (HCMTR) with 12 modifications at various locations. The HCMTR route will be 37 km in length with a width of 24 km. 

In January 2019, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had instructed the PMC to take up HCMTR project on priority. After that, Municipal Commissioner Saurabh Rao speeded up all projected-related work. On Monday, Rao tabled a proposal in GB meeting which was sanctioned unanimously. However, corporators suggested 12 changes in the routes in different areas. Out of the total 37 km of route, the approval to makes changes for 13 kilometres at various locations were given.

The corporators suggested changes in Bopodi, Ganpati Mandir Chatuhshrungi, Passport Office-Paud Phata, Kasat Pump to Alankar police station, Sakat Bridge to Sinhagad Road to Swargate, Defence Colony, Wanawadi near SRPS, Wadgaon Sheri, Sakorenagar, Airport road to 509 Chowk and Gangadham Chowk area. 

Meanwhile, PMC had already floated a tender of Rs 51,912 crore for the project. For this, two Chinese companies - Longyuan Construction Group and China Construction Third Engineering Bureau have shown interest. 

HCMTR has been designed for speedy travel by reducing congestion. It is a six-lane project which centralises Bus Rapid Transit System of total 37 km in length and 24 metres in width. Separate lanes would be made for heavy vehicles and four-wheelers with minimum 50 km speed. The PMC needs 68.03 hectares of land for project. At present, they have 15 hectares of private land through Transfer Development Rights.

HCMTR will pass through Khadki, Aundh, Shivajinagar, Erandwane, Kothrud, Karve Nagar, Dattawadi, Parvati, Bibvewadi, Wanawadi, Salisbury Park, Hadapsar, Mundhwa, Kalyani Nagar, Yerawada and Kalas areas. Two and three-wheeler vehicles will not be allowed on this route. There will be nine entry and exit points with 33 ramps.