Pune, 5th November 2025: The Baba Bhide Bridge in Pune’s Deccan Gymkhana area will now remain open for daytime traffic following major congestion reported across Lakdi Pul, JM Road and nearby areas. The change comes after regular commuters criticised repeated shutdowns linked to ongoing Metro construction.
The bridge had temporarily reopened during Diwali in October but was shut soon after, drawing frustration from daily travellers. A similar pattern occurred earlier in August during Ganeshotsav, when authorities briefly opened the route to manage crowds before closing it again in early September.
Residents have voiced concern about this back-and-forth. A city-based group, Sajag Nagrik Manch, recently appealed to the Pune Municipal Corporation and traffic police to at least allow movement during the daytime to ease pressure on alternate routes.
Maha Metro is currently building a cable-stayed bridge connecting Deccan Gymkhana Metro station to Narayan Peth for smoother access. Officials say nearly half the work is completed and the remaining portion is expected to finish by the end of December. A similar structure has already come up at the Chhatrapati Sambhaji Garden Metro station.
With the Bhide Bridge partially functional, commuters will get relief from prolonged detours via Lakdi Pul and the Z-Bridge, which had been handling most of the diverted traffic.
