Pune Traffic Relief: PMC Approves ₹75-Crore Flyover to Bypass Wakdewadi Traffic Jams
Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) Standing Committee has officially greenlit a ₹73.52-crore elevated flyover project.
The proposed structure is specifically engineered to bypass the notorious traffic jams stretching between the Sakhar Sankul–Wakdewadi stretch and the Old Pune-Mumbai Highway.
This critical decision comes in response to compounding public distress, multi-kilometer vehicular logjams, and repeated intervention requests from local residents and elected assembly representatives.
₹73.52 Crore Infusion Approved by PMC Standing Committee
The financial layout and statutory execution framework for the Pune flyover project were officially ratified during the committee’s latest assembly. Standing Committee Chairman Shrinath Bhimale confirmed that the gross project valuation includes civil infrastructure expenses, mandatory utility shifting, and holistic site-safety checks.
Because this is a multi-year capital deployment, the PMC has invoked Section 72(b) of the Maharashtra Municipal Corporation Act. This ensures legally protected, phase-wise fund distributions across the 2026–27 and 2027–28 municipal annual budgets, keeping the project immune to sudden administrative shortfalls.
Eliminating the Wakdewadi Underpass Bottleneck
For nearly a decade, the Wakdewadi underpass subway has stood as one of the most severe operational pain points in central Pune’s traffic ecosystem. Currently, thousands of daily commuters moving from core commercial lines, including FC Road, Shivajinagar ST Bus Stand, and Ganeshkhind Road, depend on this narrow subway to head toward Khadki, Pimpri-Chinchwad, and Sangamwadi.
However, the subway’s limited carrying capacity can only safely accommodate two-wheelers and compact cars. This design flaw forces all heavy commercial vehicles, luxury buses, and public transport units to spill backward into alternate routes like the Sancheti Hospital junction and Shimla Office Chowk. The resultant gridlock routinely adds 30 to 45 minutes to daily commutes during peak morning and evening hours.
Direct Route Realignment: How It Works
The new structural master plan, drafted by project consultants Pritam Enterprises, features a direct elevated connection.
- Elevated Commute: Traffic will head directly from Sakhar Sankul, ascending over the existing railway tracks via an elevated deck, before discharging directly onto the Old Pune-Mumbai Highway.
- Simultaneous Operation: Crucially, the existing subterranean Wakdewadi subway will remain entirely active.
- Strategic Layout: The flyover pillars are strategically mapped to ensure they do not alter or interfere with the current lower lane flows.
This multi-level split will segregate light local vehicles from heavy, fast-moving traffic, distributing the structural load evenly.
18-Month Deadline: Project Timeline and Execution Stages
The municipal administration has prioritized speed to minimize public inconvenience during construction. Following technical approvals from the Scrutiny Committee and initial administrative sign-offs by the Municipal Commissioner, the project is moving immediately into its formal tendering stage.
Phase-Wise Engineering Implementation
The engineering blueprint lays out an intensive, structured deployment cycle:
- Utility Relocation & Clearances: Shifting high-voltage power conduits, municipal water supply networks, and secondary storm-water systems out of the primary construction alignment.
- Road Widening Interventions: Widening peripheral bottlenecks, particularly the stretch between Agriculture College Chowk and Sakhar Sankul, to create temporary slip roads.
- Substructure Foundations: Piling and setting up heavy concrete pillars adjacent to the active railway subway lanes.
- Superstructure Launching: Launching pre-cast concrete segments over the heavy traffic zones to drastically cut down on-site building timelines.
PMC officials state that barring unforeseen geo-technical or land-acquisition challenges, the bridge structure will be fully ready for vehicular operation within 18 active construction months, explicitly discounting seasonal monsoon periods when heavy concrete pouring is structurally unviable.
Future-Proofing Shivajinagar’s Real Estate and Transit Corridor
The long-term impact of this Shivajinagar traffic jam solution extends well beyond simple daily commuting relief. The entire micro-market spanning Shivajinagar, Wakdewadi, and Sangamwadi is currently undergoing massive commercial transformation, driven largely by the extension of the Pune Metro rail corridor.
By resolving one of the last major gridlock points along the old highway axis, this project is expected to boost institutional and commercial real estate demand in nearby commercial hubs. Additionally, it will seamlessly integrate with long-distance bus transits once the relocation of the old Shivajinagar ST stand takes shape. Local residents have openly welcomed the development, urging the civic body to enforce strict contract monitoring to prevent any project delays.
