Pune-Nashik Highway Decongestion: PMRDA Clears 40 Encroachments in Chakan
If you’ve driven on the Pune-Nashik Highway near Chakan recently, you know the struggle: traffic snarls and congestion that can turn a quick trip into a long ordeal. Well, local authorities have finally launched a major push to tackle the problem at its source.
This Wednesday, the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA), along with the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the local municipal council, cleared out 40 illegal encroachments along the busy highway. The operation, which had police protection, targeted unauthorized structures that were eating into the road’s space and disrupting the flow of traffic.
This action didn’t come out of the blue. Last week, PMRDA Metropolitan Commissioner Dr. Yogesh Mhase met with officials from various departments to plan a crackdown on the illegal constructions plaguing the Chakan MIDC area. Following his directives, teams moved in on the stretch between Chakan-Talegaon Chowk and Ambethan Chowk towards Ektanagar.
A PMRDA official explained that the process was followed by the book. “Notices were issued earlier to encroachers to remove the illegal structures voluntarily,” they said. “However, due to non-compliance, we have initiated this campaign.”
The main goal is to get traffic moving smoothly again. The drive specifically focuses on clearing any encroachments within 22.5 meters on both sides of the national highway, which is the standard right-of-way meant to ensure safe and unhindered movement.
And this is likely just the beginning. Authorities have confirmed that the campaign will continue in the coming days, aiming to further decongest this crucial industrial zone for the thousands of commuters and commercial vehicles that use it daily.
