Change in ring road alignment to cost MSRDC an additional Rs500 crore

PUNE The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) has submitted two feasibility reports to change the alignment of the proposed ring road in the eastern and western parts in Pune district. The proposed changes to the alignment are likely to add an additional financial burden of approximately Rs500 crore to the budget, officials from MSRDC said.

According to senior officials, two feasibility reports have been submitted to the state government and approval is awaited. Earlier, on September 6, state government had approved Rs26,831.21 crore for the Pune ring road project, to be constructed by MSRDC, including construction and land acquisition costs.

Changes in the alignment of the upcoming 170-km long ring road are proposed in the eastern and western part of the project near Bhandara Dongar (hill) and in the Kelawade village in Bhor tehsil, respectively.

The initial plan for the ring road to pass through the Bhandara Dongar has now been dropped and an assessment has been made to shift the route of the ring road from the base of the hill. In Kelawade, there was a strong demand to avoid a route through agricultural lands and shift it through barren lands.

According to officials both of these changes, if approved, would likely cost approximately Rs500 crore, collectively.

“We have sent the feasibility reports. Currently we are focusing on completing the land measurement procedures in the western part. We aim to complete it by Jan 4, 2022, and then the procedure to float the tenders will be initiated,” said Sandeep Patil, sub-divisional engineer, MSRDC.

Land measurement of the western part is almost complete. In the eastern part, land measurement in 10 of 46 villages has been completed so far.

Of Rs26,831.21 crore approved by the state government, Rs12,175.97 crore has been allocated for the western part of the ring road, while Rs14,655.24 crore has been allocated for the eastern side.