Pune: The state government of Maharashtra has decided to undertake two separate projects to enhance the Pune-Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar highway and establish a new Pune-Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar green corridor.

The Maharashtra State Infrastructure Development Corporation (MSIDC) has been entrusted with these projects. In the first phase, the existing highway will see the construction of four new flyovers and road widening.

The central government, through the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), had initiated work on two green corridors: Pune-Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Pune-Bangalore.

Consultancy firms were appointed to design and draft a detailed project report (DPR) for these projects on an experimental basis.

Six months ago, the state government established the MSIDC, which led to a decision to transfer the project execution from NHAI to MSIDC. The current Pune-Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar highway is managed by the Public Works Department (PWD).

A joint meeting between MSIDC and PWD concluded that significant land acquisition is required for the green corridor, thus prioritizing the enhancement of the existing highway first.

Officials, speaking anonymously, stated that the initial focus will be on creating a detailed plan to upgrade the current highway. This includes constructing a flyover from Ramwadi to Shirur within Pune city limits. The plan is to start with the old highway improvements before moving on to the green corridor project.

Planned Upgrades:

The current highway, which accommodates 25,000 to 30,000 vehicles daily, is a four-lane road with a width of 24 meters. With traffic increasing daily, the proposed upgrades aim to alleviate congestion.

Planned works include road widening, constructing four new flyovers, removing existing toll plazas, and asphalting the road's side strips. The cost estimates for these enhancements are currently being prepared, according to officials.