Pune Inner Ring Road Receives Funding Boost, Tenders Floated, Land Acquisition Started
The much-delayed Pune Inner Ring Road project finally picked up pace with PMRDA having finally initiated the process of land acquisition and tenders. The project, proposed way back in 2016, would help in reducing heavy traffic congestion in the city of Pune by diverting heavy vehicular traffic away from the core of the city and strengthening connectivity between suburban areas.
Pune Inner Ring Road – Approvals and Budget Allocations
MSRDC received the Cabinet approval led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde of ₹19,932.98 crores to develop the eastern part of Pune Ring Road from Urse to Solu to Sortapwadi (Pune-Solapur Road). Along with this, the revised approval for the western side of Pune Ring Road from Urse to Varve (Satara Road) stands at ₹22,778.05 crores.
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It is indeed a big development that the PMRDA has allocated crucial funds in its 2024-25 budget to start the land acquisition process and tendering for the first two phases of the Inner Ring Road. Both the processes are likely to hasten up the long-pending construction of the road, while the actual construction would begin after the code of conduct for the assembly elections is withdrawn.
Stages of the Pune Inner Ring Road Project
The total length of the Inner Ring Road is 128.08 kilometers, divided into four stages:
- Solu Interchange to Vadgaon Shinde (4.7 km)
- Pune-Ahmednagar Road to Solapur Road (71.89 km)
- Pune-Solapur Road to Pune-Satara Road (21.23 km)
- Pune-Satara Road to Parandwadi Interchange (44.80 km)
Multiple entities will be involved for the project: MSRDC will undertake one stretch of 40 km, PMC will undertake about 6 km, while the PMRDA will undertake the remaining 83 km. The overall road width will be 65 meters that will help in ensuring that heavy traffic is accommodated on it with the smooth connectivity between key arterial roads.
Focus on Land Acquisition
Despite this, officials in the PMRDA are more concerned, cautioning that land acquisition is a very long-drawn affair, and may push up the date of actually commencing construction by more than six months. So far, land for 37.5 hectares is being acquired for different parts of the road, particularly in Solu, Nirangudi, and Vadgaon Shinde. Detailed project report of the Solu to Vadgaon Shinde stretch is available; however, DPR of Solu to Nirangudi is currently put for review at the COEP.
Key Impact of the Inner Ring Road
Once constructed, the road will not only ease the pressure off city roads in Pune but will also energize the local economy with improved access to suburbs. It will ease congestion points especially on such high-density corridors like Ahmednagar Road, Solapur Road, and Satara Road. The new road will improve the development of multimodal transport hubs, public transport connectivity, and the overall economy of the region.
83 Multimodal Hubs for Improved Connectivity
PMRDA has identified five multimodal hubs on the 83 km stretch of the Inner Ring Road. They have been proposed at Solu, Wagholi, Kadamwakwasti, Bhillarewadi, and Bhugaon, where the different transport modes will seamlessly integrate to ease commutes for residents of that locality. The project is to be developed on the PPP model and the estimated total cost for acquiring land and construction of these hubs are ₹370.13 crores.