Pune: The Pune-Satara highway, from the Katraj tunnel to the Sarola Neera River, is in a dire state, forcing frustrated motorists to endure dangerous and bumpy rides through large potholes.

Despite the numerous complaints, the Highway Authority and contractors have failed to address the issue, leaving drivers grappling with hazardous conditions.

The highway, which has long been notorious for its potholes, traffic jams, and toll plaza controversies, has been the subject of several protests in the past.

Movements such as road blockades and demands for toll-free travel led to temporary improvements, but the situation soon reverted to its previous state of neglect.

The recurring problems have created a sense of apathy among the contractors and the highway authority, who seem indifferent to the deteriorating conditions.

This year’s monsoon worsened the road's condition at several points along the route, with large sections of the road turning into patchy, pothole-ridden stretches.

Though temporary repairs were carried out during the rains, the repairs did not hold up due to the heavy volume of traffic, and the potholes reappeared soon after.

Even after the end of the monsoon season, no concrete repair work has been initiated. The current state of the national highway is so poor that it resembles a village road rather than a key route.

Good Road Surface Removed

Before the onset of the monsoon, a good section of the road in Kamthadi and other locations had its upper asphalt layer removed. This process not only left the road uneven but also created sharp edges along the sides.

As a result, many vehicles, including two-wheelers, experienced tire bursts and accidents during the monsoon. Despite these dangerous conditions, no repairs have been carried out, and large potholes remain even after the rains.

Alleged Sale of Asphalt Layer

There are allegations that the contractor removed the top asphalt layer of good roads under the guise of repairs and sold the asphalt mixture for ₹3,000-₹4,000 per dumper.

This has raised suspicions about whether the road was genuinely being repaired or if the top layer was removed solely for profit.

“We have appointed two contractors to handle the repairs. Work was halted due to the monsoon, but pothole filling has now started in some areas. Work on the Kamthadi section will begin within the next week,” said Subhash Ghante, an official from the Highway Authority.