Pune: A technical modification has been approved in the ongoing work to shift a major water pipeline obstructing the construction of the Sadhu Vaswani Bridge in Koregaon Park. The Pune Municipal Corporation’s Standing Committee has cleared an additional expenditure proposal of approximately ₹2 crore for the revised work, Committee Chairman Srinath Bhimale said.
The existing 1000 mm diameter water pipeline running beneath the railway tracks had been hindering bridge construction. This pipeline supplies water to areas such as Yerwada, Kalyani Nagar, Gandhi Nagar, and Jail Road, making it necessary to establish an alternative arrangement before proceeding.
Initially, the civic body undertook the task of laying a new pipeline using the jack and push method. However, progress slowed significantly after workers encountered hard rock during excavation. As a result, the method was changed to micro-tunnelling.
Further complications arose when an old RCC duct, believed to have been constructed around 1905, was discovered along the alignment. The railway authorities denied permission to dismantle the structure, bringing the work to a complete halt.
To resolve the issue, officials have now decided to install a new 800 mm diameter mild steel pipeline through the existing RCC duct itself. The old 600 mm pipeline inside the duct will be removed to accommodate the new one. The railway department has given in-principle approval for this modification, and formal written permission is expected soon.
Since these additional works were not part of the original tender, the proposal includes executing them through the existing contractor, R.B. Krishnani, at a rate 0.1% lower than the quoted cost. The total estimated expense, including GST, is around ₹2.07 crore.
The expenditure will be covered under the budget head for the “Integrated Traffic Plan from Sadhu Vaswani Bridge to Bund Garden Bridge.” The administration noted that the decision is crucial to avoid further delays in the bridge project and to ensure railway safety.
