Pune, 4th June 2026: To reduce traffic congestion on the busy Katraj-Kondhwa Road, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has accelerated the long-pending road widening project by taking possession of acquired land and initiating action against encroachments.
Additional Municipal Commissioner Omprakash Divte, along with officials from the road, land acquisition, property management and anti-encroachment departments, inspected the stretch from Rajas Society Chowk to the Pisoli limits on Wednesday.
During the visit, officials reviewed obstacles affecting the progress of the project and directed departments to expedite pending work.
PMC has decided to take compulsory possession of land from property owners who are delaying or refusing to hand over plots required for the project. The civic administration has also instructed its anti-encroachment department to remove unauthorized constructions and encroachments on the acquired land within the next two days.
Officials said all structures obstructing road development on land already in PMC's possession will be cleared. The road department has been directed to immediately begin development work on vacant land available with the civic body and ensure faster execution of the widening project.
The project received a major boost after PMC Commissioner Naval Kishore Ram allocated substantial municipal funds for land acquisition. Additional financial support from the state government helped complete the acquisition process, allowing the next phase of implementation to begin.
According to PMC, the civic body has taken possession of 100 out of 109 properties required for the road widening project. The remaining nine properties are expected to be acquired soon.
The land acquisition process formally began in April after receiving approval from the Revenue Department and completion of compensation-related procedures for affected landowners.
However, challenges remain for the proposed 84-metre-wide road stretch between Kanha Hotel Chowk and Khadi Machine Chowk. Although land acquisition proceedings have been initiated, the required land is yet to be secured.
While the underpass work at Kanha Hotel Chowk has been completed, further road construction cannot proceed until the remaining land becomes available.
PMC is now considering compulsory land acquisition for the pending stretch. Officials estimate that the process could take another one to one-and-a-half years, potentially delaying the completion of the road project.
The civic administration believes that the ongoing land possession and encroachment removal drive will significantly speed up the widening work and improve connectivity across Pune's rapidly developing southern suburbs.