Pune: PMC Approves ₹75 Crore for Katraj-Kondhwa Road Widening; Total Allocation Touches ₹215 Crore
Katraj, 25th June 2025: In a major push to alleviate traffic congestion in South Pune, the Pune Municipal Corporation’s (PMC) Finance Committee on Tuesday sanctioned an additional ₹75 crore for land acquisition required for the Katraj-Kondhwa road widening project. With this approval, the total funds allocated for land acquisition on this stretch have now reached ₹215 crore, out of which ₹130 crore has already been transferred to the District Collector’s office.
Project Overview & Delays
The Katraj-Kondhwa road widening is a crucial infrastructure initiative aimed at easing persistent traffic bottlenecks on this busy corridor. Although the state government had earlier allocated ₹140 crore for the project, only ₹9.57 crore has been utilized so far due to delays from the Land Records and Survey Department.
PMC Municipal Commissioner Naval Kishore Ram has prioritized the project, emphasizing the need for faster execution to relieve daily commuter woes. “This is a vital road for southern Pune’s traffic flow, and we are committed to resolving long-pending land acquisition and development challenges,” an official from his office stated.
Mixed Mode of Land Acquisition
Construction has already begun in sections where PMC possesses the land. In other areas, the civic body is acquiring land by offering Transferable Development Rights (TDR) to landowners. Additionally, grade separator construction is underway in phases where land has been secured.
Drainage Work to Address Waterlogging
Alongside road widening, the PMC’s Road Department is tackling drainage issues along the stretch. Aniruddha Pawaskar, head of PMC’s Road Department, conducted a site inspection on Tuesday and identified chronic waterlogging near Rajas Society and SBI Bank.
“To mitigate this, we will lay two 300 mm diameter rainwater drainage lines in the affected section,” Pawaskar announced.
What’s Next?
The newly approved ₹75 crore is expected to accelerate pending land acquisitions, ensuring smoother progress in the coming months. The PMC remains focused on minimizing administrative delays to complete this critical infrastructure project, which serves as a lifeline for thousands of residents and daily commuters.
