Work on 2.5km Khadki-Bopodi stretch to finish by end of Oct

Pune: Travel time on the busy Patil Estate-Khadki-Bopodi stretch of about 2.5km on the old Pune-Mumbai highway is expected to come down by at least 10-15 minutes from next month, as PMC is looking to complete the widening of the main carriageway by Oct.
The stretch, which had four lanes, is being widened to eight-lane carriageway after complaints of persistent traffic snarls.
Civic officials said the main carriageway, with the addition of four lanes, would be ready by Oct-end, while the work on the service lanes along the main carriageway would continue for some time.
"Once the work is over, eight lanes will be available for vehicles for speedy movement. Some land parcels in the Khadki area were not in our possession, which had delayed the widening work. Besides, Metro works in the Khadki area hampered the project too. The administration is in possession of the land required now for the widening. About 65% of the project has been completed. We hope to finish the major works by Oct-end," a senior PMC official said.
Two-way vehicular movement was allowed on the Bopodi-Khadki stretch last Aug. Regular travellers said the widening of the stretch was pending for long. "It used to be a tiresome journey. The Khadki and Bopodi were major bottlenecks. With the addition of at least two lanes on each side, vehicles will move at a faster pace. This will reduce the journey time on the stretch by at least 15 minutes," Adi Shinde, a regular traveller to Nigdi, said.
The old Pune-Mumbai highway connects Pune city to the Pimpri Chinchwad area. Hundreds of people commute between Pune and the industrial units in Pimpri Chinchwad-Bhosari via this road link daily. The road stretch ahead of Harris Bridge in the PCMC area is already wide, with six to eight lanes. The stretch within the limits of PMC was narrow and needed widening.
Besides the road-widening work, the administration is also constructing a safety wall along the stretch. PMC has approached Maha Metro to finish the work of constructing the safety walls in the Khadki area.
Improve traffic at Khadki police station chowk
Travellers have urged measures for smooth vehicular movement on the junction near the Khadki police station on the old Pune-Mumbai highway. "There is an influx of vehicles from Khadki, Shivajinagar and the Range Hills area at the junction. The administration should take steps to reduce the waiting time at the junction," a commuter said.