Pimpri-Chinchwad: After much reported public outrage, finally the Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation Limited (Maha Metro) management has taken up the repair work of the pothole-ridden service road of the Old Mumbai-Pune Highway. The damage was visible from the Bhakti-Shakti Chowk in Nigdi to the Chinchwad Railway Station Chowk. The road was damaged due to ongoing Metro construction. But after media reports and residents' complaints, asphalting is being done on the road, which will make it pothole-free.
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Work Begins | Sourced
Work Begins | Sourced
Work Begins | Sourced
The Free Press Journal had covered this issue multiple times. Residents’ outrage and updates on the authorities’ decisions were repeatedly reported by FPJ concerning the pothole-ridden service road of the Old Mumbai-Pune Highway.
The work for the Pimpri to Nigdi extended metro route is currently underway on the Purple Line of the Pune Metro, which connects the Pimpri-Chinchwad area to Swargate. For this project, the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) had handed over the service road and BRT route of Old Mumbai Pune Highway from Nigdi’s Bhakti-Shakti Chowk to Empire Estate in Chinchwad to MahaMetro. The length of this road is 4.5 kilometres. The responsibility for the maintenance and repair of this road was given to MahaMetro. Currently, Metro construction, including the digging of the road and BRT route, erection of pillars, and viaduct work, is going on on the road.
To work without hindrance, Maha Metro had installed safety barricades on this route. As a result, the service road became extremely narrow. Footpaths were dug up and converted into a temporary road.
Residents complained that due to the narrowed road, heavy vehicular traffic, and rain, the concrete road, asphalt road, and footpaths developed a large number of potholes. During peak hours, traffic slowed down, causing long queues of vehicles. It took over half an hour to pass this five-kilometre stretch. PCMC had sent three letters to Maha Metro regarding the repair of the potholes. It was reported that initially the MahaMetro management did not respond.
As public anger grew, Maha Metro finally agreed to construct permanent roads. For this, MahaMetro’s Managing Director, Shravan Hardikar, had requested that the traffic on this road be temporarily closed in phases and diverted. Following this request, the traffic police and the PCMC diverted traffic on some roads. After the diversion, Maha Metro began the road repair work on Tuesday. The asphalting of the Nigdi to Chinchwad Station road has been started. MahaMetro officials stated that the repair work was undertaken after the rain subsided.
Bapusaheb Gaikwad, Joint City Engineer of the PCMC, stated, "We had corresponded with the Metro administration regarding the repair of the service road. With the end of the rainy season, the Metro has undertaken the road repair work. Asphalting is being done on the road. Instructions have been given to complete the work quickly."
