Pune: MahaMetro has submitted a proposal to the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) for constructing a double-decker flyover on Paud Road, spanning from the Garbage Depot to Lohia IT Park. This project is part of the Vanaz to Chandni Chowk metro extension and is expected to ease traffic congestion in the Kothrud Depot area. The estimated cost of the flyover is ₹85 crore.
Paud Road serves as Pune’s western gateway and is the shortest route connecting the city to the Paud region and the Pune-Mumbai Highway. Due to increasing traffic volume, congestion is a persistent issue, particularly during morning and evening rush hours.
Initially, PMC had planned to build a flyover to tackle these issues. However, with MahaMetro expanding the Vanaz-Chandni Chowk metro route, the plan has now been integrated into the metro project. The flyover will be constructed in front of Kothrud Depot, following the design of the Nal Stop flyover.
Three major factors contribute to traffic jams on this stretch:
Three traffic signals between Lohia IT Park and the Garbage Depot.
Dense residential areas on both sides of the road.
Limited road capacity, leading to frequent bottlenecks.
PMC is closely reviewing the proposed ₹85 crore budget due to previous cost overruns in MahaMetro projects. When MahaMetro built the Nal Stop flyover, unexpected modifications led to an additional expense of ₹52 crore. PMC initially refused to pay the extra amount and ordered an audit by COEP (College of Engineering, Pune). Following a review, the additional cost was revised to ₹36 crore, which PMC later approved and paid.
To prevent similar issues, PMC has decided to conduct a thorough evaluation of MahaMetro’s proposed budget for the new flyover before giving final approval.
