Pune, 23rd May 2026: The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has intensified work on the long-pending Katraj-Kondhwa road widening project, with 84 properties acquired in the past month for the first phase of the expansion.
Officials said the remaining 25 properties are likely to be taken over soon, clearing a major obstacle in the land acquisition process.
The civic body launched the project in 2017 for the 3.5-km stretch between Katraj and Khadi Machine Chowk in Kondhwa. Initially, the PMC had proposed an 84-metre-wide road and floated tenders accordingly. However, the project faced repeated delays as the required land for widening was not available.
To tackle worsening traffic congestion in the area, the PMC later revised the plan and decided to begin work on a 50-metre-wide road in the first phase instead of the originally planned 84 meters.
Officials said acquiring smaller land parcels through Transferable Development Rights (TDR) and Floor Space Index (FSI) proved technically difficult. In addition, several property owners demanded direct monetary compensation, prompting the PMC to adopt a cash compensation-based acquisition model.
The project has gained momentum in recent months following directives from PMC Commissioner Naval Kishore Ram, who instructed departments to speed up the stalled work.
“The PMC has taken possession of 84 properties and the process to acquire the remaining 25 properties will be carried out on priority this week,” said Deputy Engineer of the Land Acquisition Department, Digambar Bangar.
