Pune: The PMC is planning to develop a 9km road link extending from Kondhwa (Khadi Machine Chowk) to Wadki Chowk on Pune-Saswad road following resolution of land acquisition hurdles that long delayed Katraj-Kondhwa road widening.The project aims to significantly strengthen the road network in south Pune. To kickstart the process, the civic administration will appoint a consulting agency to conduct a preliminary land survey, a topographic assessment, and a detailed audit of properties located along the proposed alignment.For regular commuters, the expansion of the Katraj-Kondhwa road is a much-awaited relief. However, experts and residents believe that developing further links towards Saswad or Solapur road is essential for long-term traffic management.The primary advantage of the proposed 9km link is its ability to act as a bypass for heavy and commercial vehicles. Currently, transit traffic moving between Satara, Saswad, and Solapur highways is forced to navigate narrow city roads. The new link would allow these vehicles to bypass the city centre entirely, easing congestion for local motorists.According to Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) officials, while the Katraj-Kondhwa road is being widened to 50 metres, the new link towards Vadki will complement existing infrastructure.“There is an existing link from Kondhwa Chowk toward Mantarwadi Chowk on the Pune-Saswad road. We are now moving to develop a second link towards Wadki,” a PMC official said. “This road was already proposed in the Regional Plan (RP) but remained undeveloped. We are now undertaking a detailed study to determine how to execute this project as quickly as possible.”Local residents have noted a massive surge in vehicular volume in the Khadi Machine Chowk and Kondhwa areas. Many travellers are now opting for the Bopdev Ghat route to reach Saswad, further straining the local road network.Arun Tupe, a resident of the area, emphasised the urgency of the project. “The current roads simply cannot cater to the increasing demand. We need all possible road links to be developed to provide relief from the daily traffic chaos,” he said. Citing the previous delays on the Katraj-Kondhwa stretch, Tupe urged the state govt and the PMC to secure all necessary land upfront to prevent the project from stalling.The PMC expects to finalise compensation payments for landowners on the current Katraj-Kondhwa road stretch within the next month. Meanwhile, widening work has been expedited in sections where the civic body already has possession of the land.
