Pune: Permanent Solution to Traffic Jams in Chakan, Moshi; 16-Lane Project to Ease Traffic on Pune Nashik Highway
Residents and daily commuters on the busy Pune Nashik Highway have reason to celebrate. In a major announcement, Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari has declared that the perennial traffic congestion plaguing areas like Chakan and Moshi will soon be “permanently resolved.”
The solution comes in the form of a massive, ambitious infrastructure project: a 16-lane corridor. The tender for this transformative project will be opened on September 25, marking a critical step towards its realization.
Addressing a Long-Standing Headache
The announcement came after a delegation of villagers from Khed, Ambegaon, and Junnar talukas, led by highway coordinator Dilip Medge, met with Gadkari. They highlighted the severe daily gridlock and the alarming frequency of accidents at several black spots, including Peth, Manchar, Eklahare, and Narayangaon.
For anyone who has endured the current traffic on Pune Nashik Highway, the relief can’t come soon enough. The existing 30-kilometer stretch from Nashik Phata to Rajgurunagar can take a frustrating 90 to 120 minutes to navigate during peak hours.
The Game-Changing 16-Lane Plan
So, what’s the plan to fix this? The project is nothing short of monumental:
- A 16-Lane Behemoth:Â The design includes 8 lanes at ground level and an additional 8 lanes on an elevated corridor.
- Massive Investment: The sanctioned cost for this project is a whopping ₹7,827 crore.
- Drastic Time Savings:Â Once completed, the same 30-km journey that currently takes over an hour will be slashed to a smooth 20-minute drive.
To make this possible, land acquisition is being fast-tracked by the state government. The project will affect approximately 150 landowners across seven villages, including Chakan, Kuruli, and Waki.
Safety and Speed
Alongside the main corridor, the delegation also pushed for immediate safety measures. They requested flyovers or underpasses at known accident-prone zones and urged officials to speed up work on the delayed Narayangaon–Khodad Chowk flyover.
Responding to these concerns, National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) Project Director Sanjay Kadam confirmed that flyovers at Eklahare and Tambademale have already been sanctioned and are in the tendering process. He also assured that the work on the Narayangaon flyover would be expedited.
A Clear Road Ahead
This upgrade promises to be a game-changer for the region. By permanently alleviating the traffic on Pune Nashik Highway, it will not only save countless hours for commuters but also enhance safety, boost economic connectivity between two major cities, and support the growing industrial belt in Chakan and beyond. The opening of tenders later this month signals that the wheels of progress are finally turning in the right direction.
