Proposal seeking ₹637 crore for 678 missing links gathering dust in urban development dept

At a time when Pune city has been ranked the fourth most congested city in the country, a proposal sent to the state government seeking ₹637 crore for completion of 678 missing links (roads) is gathering dust in the urban development department (UDD) at Mantralaya. The lack of funds is causing delay in completion of the missing links, leading to further escalation of traffic congestion.

A survey conducted by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) road department revealed 678 missing links totalling a length of 459 km. Upon completion of the missing links, commuters will be able to utilise a full-fledged road network of 1,384 km that will significantly decongest the city. According to the road department, many missing links need additional land acquisition at a higher cost. The PMC has to bear an additional cost of ₹815 crore for land acquisition; most of the land required for the missing links has not been acquired till date.

Road department head Aniruddha Pawaskar said that the PMC has sent reminders thrice to the UDD seeking ₹637 crore for the pending missing links. In June 2024, ₹100 crore was sought for completion of five missing links; in Aug 2024, ₹417 crore was sought; whereas in October 2024, ₹120 crore was sought for completion of missing links in the airport and railway station areas.

Civic rights activist Ashok Mehendale who has been spearheading a campaign for early completion of the missing links said, “We have been demanding from the state government that the amount pledged for land acquisition for the missing links be released. However, both the administrative and political will is missing due to which citizens are suffering with respect to road connectivity and traffic congestion across different suburbs as well as the main areas of Pune city.”

Land acquisition for the missing links has become a major hurdle for the PMC as its officials are finding it difficult to negotiate with local landlords despite having legal rights under the development plan (DP). While landowners would be compensated through transfer development rights (TDR) and floor space index (FSI), they are now demanding cash compensation at three times the market rate of the land which is an obstacle in the process of land acquisition.