Soil testing begins for Vishrantwadi flyover & grade separator

The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has started the initial phase of the Vishrantwadi flyover and grade separator after finalising the tendering process, and the contractor appointed by the civic body has started soil testing before beginning construction of the flyover and grade separator.

A senior PMC official handling the project said, “The contractor has started soil testing. Soil testing is carried out before starting the actual work of the flyover. It determines whether the soil is suitable for the proposed construction. After completing the soil testing, we will start actual work. However, it will happen after the Lok Sabha (LS) elections are over.”

The PMC had proposed a flyover and grade separator at Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Chowk, Vishrantwadi, to avert the traffic jams every morning and evening. The estimated cost of this project is ₹63 crore. The PMC had decided to relocate the existing pedestrian bridges at the nearby Pratik Nagar Chowk and Shivajinagar to build new pedestrian bridges. There are frequent traffic snarls at Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Chowk, Vishrantwadi, with long queues of vehicles at the junction during rush hours. Daily commuters claim they spend at least 15 to 30 minutes to cross the Vishrantwadi junction due to traffic congestion.

Most of the vehicles in Vishrantwadi are headed towards Alandi Road from Sathe Biscuit. Some are headed towards Dhanori-Lohegaon-Charholi. Because there is only one road, there are always a lot of cars. There is demand for a separate road but the PMC plans to have a separate road only for Alandi Road and a flyover on the way to the airport. As such, the traffic jams will remain. Former local representatives have alleged that even after bringing the situation to the notice of the administration, it is being deliberately ignored.

Meanwhile, the Vishrantwadi flyover will be 630.12 metre long and 7 metre wide. It will be 197.12 metre on the Alandi side, 142 metre on the Lohegaon side, and will have 11 pillars. The grade separator will be 595 metre long and seven metre wide. It will be 185 metre on the Alandi side, 150 metre on the Lohegaon side, and 140 metre on the Yerawada side.