Pune: The ambitious Pune Ring Road project, designed to alleviate traffic congestion in Pune and surrounding areas, is now moving forward at a faster pace.
The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) needs a total of 1,653 hectares of land for the 136-kilometer-long road. As of now, approximately 1,190 hectares, or 72 per cent of the required land, has been acquired, paving the way for the project's groundbreaking ceremony soon.
The MSRDC is investing around ₹10500 crore to construct the Pune Ring Road. Initially, there were concerns about acquiring over 1,653 hectares (more than 4,000 acres) of land, especially given the soaring land prices in Pune and its neighboring talukas. Additionally, acquiring private, government, and forest land posed significant challenges.
However, MSRDC has successfully acquired 984 hectares of private land, 69 hectares of government land, and 137 hectares of forest land, totaling 1,190 hectares.
A senior MSRDC official confirmed this progress and indicated that the remaining land acquisition will continue. The rapid progress in land acquisition marks a significant milestone for the Pune Ring Road project, bringing it closer to reality and promising to ease traffic woes in the region.
Meanwhile, the issue of inflated tenders for the ring road project is yet to be resolved as the third-party audit report by the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) is pending even after three weeks.
The MSRDC had initiated the tender process, dividing the work into nine packages. Twelve companies submitted bids, with the tenders being opened in Mumbai.
Megha Engineering and Navayuga Engineering emerged as the lowest bidders for three packages each, while PMC Infra, Roadway Solution India Infra, and GR Infra secured one package each. The tenders received were 40-50 per cent higher than the initial estimates, significantly increasing the project's cost.
Breakdown of Land Acquisition for the Project:
Private Land: 1,447 hectares
Government Land: 69 hectares
Forest Land: 137 hectares
