Waiting for respite from traffic jams at Hinjewadi? You’ll have to wait a little longer
The alternate road to phase three of the Rajiv Gandhi Infotech Park in Hinjewadi through Maan-Mhalunge is expected to cut short the commute time by an hour, thus reducing the traffic congestion. However, the work on various stretches of the proposed road has been stalled due to opposition from locals
PUNE With private offices resuming operations and the construction of the Metro in full swing, industries in Hinjewadi have stressed the completion of the alternate road to Rajiv Gandhi Infotech Park through Maan-Mhalunge at the earliest. The Hinjewadi Industries Association (HIA) has also taken up the issue with the concerned authorities.
The work of the proposed project has been jointly undertaken by the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA), Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) and the Public works Department (PWD) of the state government.
Col (Retd) Charanjeet Singh Bhogal, chief operating officer Hinjewadi Industries Association, said, “The road is in patches of three and six lanes. The road is nearing completion from the Maan area but has not been connected to the bridge that has been ready since January 2018. We have been told that the patch connecting the road to the bridge is incomplete because of the land acquisition issue. With companies resuming operations, we expect employee footfall to increase from January. Hence, the alternate route must be completed to avoid traffic snarls.”
The alternate road to phase three of the Rajiv Gandhi Infotech Park in Hinjewadi through Maan-Mhalunge is expected to cut short the commute time by an hour, thus reducing the traffic congestion. However, the work on various stretches of the proposed road has been stalled due to opposition from locals.
A senior official from MIDC who is monitoring the project and has conducted meetings with HIA, on the condition of anonymity said, “The MIDC is incharge of constructing the road and the responsibility of land acquisition lies with the PMRDA. Construction has been completed in areas where there is no land dispute. Though the construction of the bridge was completed in 2018, the land issue has affected its connectivity. We will complete the work as soon as this issue is resolved.”
The HIA has also demanded an underpass on the Baner-Hinjewadi road to avoid the traffic congestion at the junction. “We have written to the National Highway Authority of India about it. They have pointed out some technical difficulties. But the work of the underpass and the alternate road should be done at the earliest,” added Bhogal.