Pune: The long-awaited widening of the Katraj-Kondhwa road has faced significant delays. However, the state government has recently deposited ₹139 crore into the municipal treasury, paving the way for the resolution of the land acquisition issues that have stalled the project.

Since being incorporated into the municipality, Katraj and its neighboring villages have seen a substantial increase in population, making the outer ring road insufficient.

The Katraj-Kondhwa road, initially planned to be 84 meters wide, was approved on October 31, 2018. The road is set to extend from Rajas Society to Khadi Machine Chowk and up to the Pisoli municipal boundary, with an estimated total cost of ₹241 crore, of which only ₹48 crore has been spent so far.

Despite significant investment, the project has been delayed primarily due to land acquisition issues. The original estimate for land acquisition was ₹710 crore.

The road is currently complete from Rajas Society to Kapilamrut Dairy, with work on the underground passage near Khadi Machine Chowk still underway. However, the remaining sections have seen no progress, limiting the road's benefits for local residents.

Recently, a tempo overturned in the Shivshambhonagar area on the Katraj-Kondhwa road, injuring around 20 pedestrians. Following the incident, Bharati Vidyapeeth police have filed a case against the tempo driver.

In light of these challenges, the municipality has decided to reduce the road's width from 84 meters to 50 meters, excluding the cycle track, footpath, and 'green track' for tree planting. The revised estimate for land acquisition is now ₹280 crore, with ₹200 crore expected from the government.

Although the state government had issued an ordinance to provide ₹140 crore, the funds were delayed for several months. ₹139 crore has now been deposited into the municipal treasury.

This development is expected to finally resolve the land acquisition issues and advance the long-delayed Katraj-Kondhwa road widening project.