Pune: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis officially inaugurated the highly anticipated integrated double-decker flyover at Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) Chowk on Sunday. With the Baner and Aundh arms of the three-way bridge now usable, this progression will help in reducing the traffic congestion problem in the University Chowk area and Ganeshkhind Road.
Although the inauguration has happened, authorities have confirmed that the bridge will be thrown open for general public transit starting Monday morning, March 9, 2026. The project features a unique design carrying vehicular traffic on the lower tier and the Pune Metro Line 3 viaduct on the upper tier. It is expected to provide a long-term solution to the chronic traffic congestion that has plagued the University Circle for years.
The inauguration event was attended by several high-ranking officials and local leaders, including Deputy CM and Pune District Guardian Minister Sunetra Pawar, Union Minister of State Murlidhar Mohol, Shivajinagar MLA Siddharth Shirole, Pune Metropolitan Commissioner Dr Yogesh Mhase and others.
Sunetra Pawar took to X (formerly Twitter) to speak about the bridge. In a post on X, she extended her wishes to the women present for International Women’s Day and emphasised that the modern architecture of the bridge would offer immense relief to commuters travelling toward Baner, Aundh, and Hinjawadi.
She specifically credited the vision of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, noting that his "bold decision" to demolish the old, narrow flyovers in 2020 paved the way for this massive integrated structure.
The reconstruction of the flyover became a necessity after the previous structures were found inadequate to handle the growing vehicular volume and the requirements of the upcoming Metro corridor.
By integrating the Metro pillars with the road flyover, the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) and the Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation (Maha-Metro) managed to optimise space at one of the city's busiest junctions.
This "multimodal" approach is intended to streamline the flow of thousands of vehicles that converge at the university gate from four different directions every hour.
Pune City’s traffic police have already prepared a comprehensive deployment plan for Monday morning to assist commuters in navigating the new entry and exit ramps. As the city transitions to this new traffic pattern, the University Chowk is expected to see a significant reduction in signal wait times, which previously stretched up to thirty minutes during peak hours.
The completion of this vehicular section also clears the path for the final stages of the Hinjawadi-Shivajinagar Metro line, which is slated to begin operations shortly on the level above the new road.
