In a bid to expedite the construction of the double-deck flyover at the bustling Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) Chowk, the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) concessionaire has granted conditional consent to advance the project’s deadline by three months. The new deadline for completion is August 2024, a senior official revealed on Saturday.
The PMRDA has laid out conditions for accelerating the project’s progress. They have requested all necessary barricading permissions along the road stretch be secured before September 15, and they have presented an escalated cost proposal to expedite the work. The exact details of the escalated cost are currently under evaluation.
The double-deck flyover is a crucial component of the 23-kilometer third metro line connecting Hinjewadi to Shivajinagar. The decision to accelerate the project’s deadline came after Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar expressed concerns about potential inconvenience to commuters if work on this vital artery was delayed.
Initially, it was suggested that September should be the new deadline, but after deliberations, August 2024 was finalized as the project’s completion date.
The conditional consent by the PMRDA concessionaire is contingent upon timely securing barricading permissions and adherence to the escalated cost proposed by the government. These conditions will be forwarded to the state government for further evaluation and approval.
During a recent online review meeting with PMRDA officials, Deputy CM Ajit Pawar emphasized the government’s willingness to provide all necessary permissions and urged the concessionaire to expedite the project. The metro line is expected to become operational in April 2025.
Presently, approximately 22% of the SPPU flyover project is completed, and around 44% of the work on the third metro line has been finished.
The barricading permission for constructing ramps at Ganeshkhind has already been issued, and the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has accelerated efforts to widen the road from SPPU Chowk to the RBI junction.
To ensure smooth traffic flow during construction, there is a demand to extend the road’s width from the current 36 meters to between 42 and 45 meters. Land acquisition efforts are underway to achieve this expansion on both sides of the road.
While barricading permissions for the ramp work were recently cleared, the remaining permissions for the entire stretch must be secured by mid-September, as confirmed by a PMRDA official.
The initiative to expedite the double-deck flyover was initially proposed by Shivajinagar MLA Siddarth Shirole to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
The ongoing construction at SPPU Chowk has caused traffic congestion, prompting citizens to call for swift project completion to alleviate disruptions.
