NHAI hopeful about meeting May 1 deadline for Chandni Chowk

PUNE: While work on the completion of the multilevel flyover at Chandni Chowk is going on in full swing and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is hopeful about meeting the May 1 deadline as declared earlier by union minister of road transport Nitin Gadkari, Pune district collector Rajesh Deshmukh has said that he will hold a review meeting next week as there seems to be a possibility of slight delay.

Sanjay Kadam, NHAI Pune project director, said, “The work of the flyover and underpass is in its final stage; in fact, we have opened up one of the ramps connecting Bavdhan to Katraj and the underpass which connects from Kothrud going towards Mulshi. This will certainly give major relief to travellers and we are now working on the flyover which is to be inaugurated on May 1.”

“As there is continuous rain since the last few days, it is affecting the work but our workers are working round-the-clock to meet the given deadline and we will try our best to meet the deadline,” Kadam said.

On March 11, union minister Gadkari had visited Chandni Chowk along with NHAI and Pune district administration officials to review the ongoing work. Seeing nearly 95% of the work completed, he had announced that the flyover would be inaugurated on May 1 subject to the availability of chief minister Eknath Shinde and deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis. While works are going on in full swing, it now seems that the work may be delayed by a few days.

Pune district collector Deshmukh said, “I am regularly taking the review and updates of the work going on at Chandni Chowk and as per the inauguration deadline given by honourable union minister Gadkari Sir, certainly, it will be completed in the given time. Next week, I will be calling an urgent meeting to take the review of the work and accordingly, will give necessary instructions to speed up the work.”