Amidst the complaints by Punekars over the traffic congestion in the Pune University area on Ganeshkhind road, Shivajinagar MLA Siddharth Shirole on Friday in assembly highlighted the issues faced by residents and appealed that the work of the Pune University flyover should be expedited to ease the burden of traffic on this arterial road of the city.
Speaking in the assembly on Friday, Shirole today said that the flyover construction period can be reduced by using modern technology and this new draft of these proposed changes has been sent to the state government. "If the government approves the new plan, the flyover will be ready in a year," Shirole added.
Ganeshkhind road flooded with vehicles at peak hours
The Ganeshkhind Road (University Road) is the main road for commuters travelling from Hinjewadi and other areas in Pimpri Chinchwad along with a few areas of Pune like Aundh and Baner to the main part of the city.
The 1.7km double-deck flyover is being constructed from Pune University Chowk to the E-Square junction. The old flyover was demolished with consensus during the lockdown period in July 2020. Recently, the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority informed that the flyover will be ready by January 2024.
Earlier this month, Shirlole had given a written application to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde requesting a joint meeting with the Pune Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority (PUMTA) and other stakeholders of the Pune Metro. "Peak traffic during rush hour leads to a 90-minute commute from Shivajinagar to Baner, also causing significant impact on Aundh and nearby areas," he had noted.
Metro to eradicating Water Hyacinth
Apart from the issue of the flyover, Shirole also spoke about the ongoing urban renewal projects in Pune and suggested solutions to minimize short-term inconvenience, including leveraging new technology to expedite the Shivajinagar-Hinjewadi Metro, strengthening PMPML, and eradicating Water Hyacinth from rivers.
"With an aim to enhance the quality of life and livelihoods of Punekars, while ensuring the city's readiness for the next 50 years, several large-scale long-term projects, like Pune Metro, Smart City, River Rejuvenation, Ring Road, 24/7 Water Supply Scheme, and EV public transport are being implemented," he added.
