The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has finalised a plan to construct a Y-shaped flyover over the railway tracks near the Sakhar Sankul-Wakdewadi stretch, aimed at improving connectivity towards Khadki and Patil Estate-Sangamwadi.
Current Traffic Woes
At present, the Wakdewadi railway subway caters only to cars and two-wheelers, forcing heavy vehicles to take a longer route via Shimla Office and Sancheti Hospital chowks to reach Sangamwadi or RTO, leading to severe traffic congestion.
Proposed Flyover Benefits
According to PMC officials, the proposed flyover could provide an alternative route for nearly 70% of the traffic, allowing vehicles to directly access the old Pune-Mumbai highway instead of passing through the congested Shimla Office junction. The project has received approval from the PMC's estimate committee and will soon be presented before the standing committee. The preliminary cost for the flyover and associated road widening is estimated at Rs 61 crore.
A PMC projects department official said, "The flyover design is based on traffic pattern studies. The proposed one-way structure will facilitate movement from Sakhar Sankul towards Khadki and Patil Estate. In addition, the civic administration plans to widen the road stretch between Agriculture College Chowk and Sakhar Sankul without affecting existing trees. Discussions are ongoing to acquire the required land for this work."
Growing Traffic Pressure
Commuters in the Shivajinagar area have been grappling with worsening traffic at key junctions like Shimla Office and the Sancheti Hospital-CoEP flyover. Traffic pressure is expected to increase further with the upcoming Metro line and the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation's (MSRTC) plan to restart its bus terminus near Shimla Office Chowk within the next three years. The residents have stressed the urgent need for alternative routes to ease the burden.
Local Support and Next Steps
Local MLA Siddharth Shirole recently reviewed the project and urged officials to expedite administrative processes so that groundwork could begin at the earliest.
The PMC officials also clarified that the existing subway would remain operational after the flyover became functional. The flyover pillars would be designed and positioned to ensure they did not obstruct subway traffic, the officials added.
Project Overview
The proposal involves the construction of a Y-shaped flyover to streamline traffic movement in the highly congested corridor between Agriculture College Chowk and Sakhar Sankul Chowk.
Key Features
- Construction of a Y-shaped elevated flyover
- Main traffic movement from Sakhar Sankul towards Old Mumbai-Pune Road
- Two directional ramps: one leading towards Khadki and another towards Patil Estate/Sangamwadi
- To be constructed above the existing railway subway crossing
Proposed Benefits
- To provide a dedicated alternate route for vehicles coming from FC Road, Ganeshkhind Road, and enable seamless travel towards Khadki and Patil Estate/Sangamwadi corridor
- To reduce dependency on existing bottleneck junctions like Shimla Office Chowk and Sancheti Hospital Chowk
- To improve overall travel time reliability and enhance urban mobility
- To help lower fuel consumption and reduce vehicular emissions
