Pune: Author Shefali Vaidya Calls Inauguration Of University Road Flyover Arm During Peak Hours 'Totally Unnecessary'

Author and columnist Shefali Vaidya on Wednesday took to X (formerly Twitter) and called the inauguration of one lane of the double-decker flyover at Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) junction during peak hours "totally unnecessary."

The inauguration is to be held at the hands of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis at 5pm today. Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation and Cooperation Murlidhar Mohol and Maharashtra Minister of Higher and Technical Education Chandrakant Patil are the chief guests of the event.

Vaidya quote-tweeted a post regarding the flyover's opening by Siddharth Shirole, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA from Pune's Shivajinagar, and wrote, "Isn’t anyone in the @BJP4Maharashtra taking notice of the anger of the citizens in the replies? Most people expressing displeasure are BJP voters. Inaugurating a half-done flyover at peak hours is completely unnecessary."

"With due respect, no one wants to listen to @Dev_Fadnavis and @AjitPawarSpeaks make another tired speech. People of Pune only want to go home in time. Can no one give this feedback to the powers that be? #CleanUpPune," she added.

About the double-decker flyover:

The double-decker flyover has been constructed at a cost of Rs 277 crore.

The ramps on the Shivajinagar and Aundh sides are completed, while the remaining ramps on the Baner and Pashan sides are expected to be completed by October 2025.

The total length of the flyover is 1.7 km, while the Aundh-to-Shivajinagar arm is 1.3 km.

The flyover has a metro rail on top, which is the Maan-Hinjawadi to Shivajinagar Metro Line-3.

Sinhagad Road flyover opening?

The 1,540-metre-long arm of the flyover from Goel Ganga Chowk to Inamdar Chowk on Sinhagad Road will need more time before it is opened to the public.

In the Sinhagad Road flyover project, a one-way flyover with a length of 520 metres at Rajaram Bridge Chowk and a 2,120-metre-long flyover from Vithalwadi to Fun Time Theatre had been opened to the public earlier.