Pune: Minister Orders Compulsory Land Acquisition to Open Balewadi–Wakad Mula River Bridge

Pune, 5th July 2025: Frustrated by years of delay in opening the bridge over the Mula River connecting Balewadi and Wakad, Higher and Technical Education Minister Chandrakant Patil has directed the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) to initiate compulsory land acquisition if necessary. Despite the bridge being completed in 2018-19, it remains non-operational due to unresolved land acquisition issues.

On Friday, Minister Patil met with Municipal Commissioner Naval Kishore Ram at the PMC headquarters to review the situation. He expressed displeasure over the continued inconvenience to citizens due to administrative inaction and lack of cooperation from private landowners.

“Citizens should not suffer because of bureaucratic hurdles or prolonged negotiations. If landowners do not hand over the land voluntarily, the corporation must proceed with compulsory acquisition on a priority basis,” Minister Patil instructed during the meeting.

Bridge Completed but Inaccessible Since 2019
The ₹31 crore bridge project, jointly approved by the Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporations in 2013, was envisioned to ease traffic congestion on Baner Road, Wakad Road, and the Mumbai-Bangalore national highway. While the structure itself was completed nearly six years ago, the connecting road from Balewadi side remains incomplete due to a deadlock with 11 private landowners, who collectively own approximately 15,000 square metres of land crucial to linking the bridge to the city’s road network.

Despite multiple rounds of discussions and negotiations, PMC has failed to reach a resolution with the landowners, causing a massive underutilization of the finished infrastructure and continued traffic snarls on existing routes.

Citizens Bear the Brunt of Inaction
Local commuters and residents have repeatedly demanded the opening of the bridge, citing increased travel time, fuel consumption, and traffic stress in the surrounding areas. The unopened bridge is seen as a symbol of bureaucratic inefficiency, especially as construction was completed long ago with public funds.

Time-Bound Plan Ordered
Minister Patil has now directed PMC to prepare a time-bound action plan for either securing land through continued dialogue or initiating legal acquisition proceedings under existing land acquisition laws. He emphasized that this matter cannot be delayed any further given the growing urban density in the region.

“The bridge must be opened to the public at the earliest. The administration should act decisively and transparently,” Patil said, adding that the development was in the public interest and should not be held hostage by a few individuals.

PMC officials have assured the minister that a revised schedule will be drawn up within the coming days. If landowners do not cooperate within a stipulated timeframe, the compulsory acquisition process will be launched immediately, officials said.

The decision is expected to bring relief to thousands of daily commuters in Baner, Balewadi, Wakad, and the adjoining areas who have been waiting years for this critical infrastructure to become operational.