32.4-Km Service Road Along Mumbai-Bengaluru Highway To Ease Pune Traffic Nightmare Soon

The National Highways Authority of India has approved a 32.4-km service road project connecting Khed-Shivapur to Ravet in Pune to ease traffic congestion on the Mumbai-Bengaluru National Highway.

File photo of a traffic snarl in Pune.

Source : PTI

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has approved a 32.4-kilometre service road project connecting Khed-Shivapur to Ravet in Pune, designed to ease traffic congestion and improve road safety along the Mumbai-Bengaluru National Highway. The Rs 604-crore, two-lane service road is expected to begin construction in March 2025.

The Pune service road project is being implemented to ease the daily traffic load of around 2.1 lakh vehicles on the existing highway. Once completed, it is expected to reduce travel time by up to 20 minutes and alleviate congestion in critical areas like Narhe, Navale Bridge, Warje, Chandani Chowk, and Ravet, reported Punekar News.

The Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) has already completed 90% of the land acquisition for the project, with the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) handling the remaining 10%. This collaborative effort underscores the importance of improving urban infrastructure in the city.

Each of the two lanes of the service road on either side of the highway will be 3.5 metres wide. The project is expected to take away around one lakh vehicles off the highway daily. This will help reduce congestion on the main highway, lower the accident rates, improve travel efficiency for commuters, and help in better traffic flow.