PMC awaits NOC from traffic police to begin Vishrantwadi Chowk flyover work

Following instructions from the union minister of state for civil aviation Murlidhar Mohol, the Pune Metro has issued a second no-objection certificate (NOC) to the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) for the Vishrantwadi Chowk flyover and underpass project. However, it is the NOC from the traffic police that the PMC is awaiting for the last six months.

In the first week of July, Mohol held a review meeting on various city projects. During the meeting, former Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) corporator Anil Tingre pointed out that there are no plans for a metro line at the Vishrantwadi Chowk flyover. Thereafter, Mohol stressed that future metro projects should be considered and instructed municipal commissioner Dr Rajesh Bhosle to plan accordingly and take the opinion of the Pune Metro. The PMC has already got a NOC from the Pune Metro in May 2024. However, after Mohol’s instructions, the PMC once again approached the Pune Metro and took a second NOC from the latter on Thursday.

Atul Gadgil, director (works) of the Pune Metro, said, “We conducted a joint visit with the PMC project department officials and checked the drawings of the flyover project. We studied the detailed drawings of the flyover, underpass and the metro line. After that, we gave NOC to the PMC.”

Ajay Wayse, executive engineer of the PMC project department, said, “We have got the NOC from the Pune Metro. Now, we can start work on the flyover project. We have approached the traffic police department to give a NOC. We are pursuing permission from the traffic police department. Due to the Palkhi procession, the traffic police had denied NOC.”

Manoj Patil, additional police commissioner, said, “There was an issue related to sudden increase in speed, which is why permission has been withheld.”

The PMC floated a tender and completed the soil testing work after which it dismantled the foot-overbridge (FOB) that was creating obstacles to the flyover work. The PMC was waiting for an NOC from the traffic police to start the pillar foundation work.

Vishrantwadi’s Mukundrao Ambedkar Square is a major junction leading to Dhanori and the airport, frequently plagued by traffic jams. Local Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MLA Sunil Tingre had pushed for a flyover project to resolve traffic issues at Vishrantwadi Chowk. The PMC’s plan includes a grade separator on Alandi Road and a flyover on Airport Road. The flyover project foundation stone was laid by deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar in March 2024 before the Lok Sabha (LS) polls.