Pune: The civic body’s anti-encroachment drive in Undri and at Kadnagar has cleared key obstacles for the long-pending road widening project aimed at easing severe traffic congestion in the rapidly growing suburb.The administration on Thursday removed encroachments at Yewalewadi, Kadnagar, Handewadi D-Mart corner and Wadachiwadi road, demolishing five sheds and seizing roadside structures, vegetable stalls and crates. Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) officials said the action would help increase carriage width and facilitate road expansion work on crucial stretches.Suchita Pansare, assistant municipal commissioner and ward officer of the Kondhwa-Yewalewadi ward office, said the seized material had been deposited at the Khadi Machine Chowk and Kondhwa ward office. She added that the encroachment removal was necessary to make way for road widening and improve traffic movement.The development comes days after residents highlighted worsening traffic conditions in the area, where daily commutes of just a few kilometres often take hours during peak periods. The presence of several major schools within a short radius adds to the congestion, resulting in heavy traffic during morning and afternoon.PMC has sanctioned Rs 80 crore for widening roads up to 24m on key routes, including Kadnagar to Undri Chowk, Kadnagar to Mohammadwadi, Shri Ram Chowk to Handewadi, and stretches near Desai Hospital and Nyati Estate. With the required land parcels already under PMC possession and several encroachments removed, civic officials expect road widening work to gather pace.
