Pune: The Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) is nearing completion of a 30-km road that will serve as an alternative to the Talegaon-Shikrapur highway. The road will traverse phases 2 and 5 of Chakan MIDC before meeting the Pune-Nashik highway, running parallel to the existing highway in Chakan.MIDC superintendent engineer Nilesh Modhave said the authority plans to complete construction by Dec. “Around 5.5 km of the road remains to be completed, after which it will ease the commute for people working there,” he added.The three sections still under construction include a 1.7-km stretch near Navlakh Umbre village entering Chakan MIDC from Talegaon, two 750-metre connector sections between Chakan MIDC phase 2 and 5, and a 2.9-km section connecting with the Nashik highway.The section near Navlakh Umbre is expected to be especially crucial in reducing congestion, as the proposed road will bypass the village entirely to avoid local traffic. Similarly, while there is an existing carriageway near the 2.9-km section, it is too narrow to handle current traffic volumes. “This (new road) will aid in reducing traffic along the main highway,” Modhave said.Nitin Gawali, regional officer at MIDC, said that land acquisition for the smaller sections is underway and nearing completion. Acquisition is expected to be finalised within two to three weeks, after which road construction will commence.“It is a very important road for Chakan MIDC. People heading towards Nashik on the main highway know they are likely to be stuck at various pain points. They will certainly take this road to avoid traffic,” said Motilal Sankla, president of the Chakan Industries Association.Pune district collector Jitendra Dudi had earlier set August 31 as the deadline to repair potholes on the Talegaon–Chakan–Shikrapur highway. Industry representatives noted that the majority of potholes have been fixed and that there is visible activity on the ground.Officials added that while the elevated Talegaon-Chakan-Shikrapur road is currently at the tendering stage, that construction work is likely to temporarily increase chaos on the main Chakan highway. Because the highway is very narrow in certain locations, erecting pillars will exacerbate traffic issues, likely causing a spillover onto the industrial area’s internal roads.
