Service Road of Mumbai-Pune Highway from Wakad to Hinjawadi in Shambles; Road Deteriorated and Traffic Increasing Every Day
Reported by Varad Bhatkhande
Hinjawadi, 17th July 2025: The service road of the Bengaluru-Mumbai Highway, especially its Katraj-Dehu Road bypass section, is in a severely deteriorated condition. Persistent traffic problems have resulted from the worsening state of the road, particularly near key areas such as Hinjawadi, Wakad, Punawale and Ravet. The exit route from Hinjawadi toward Ravet and Punawale is especially bad, with the entire stretch of service road riddled with potholes and obstructions.
Rishi Kakade, a local resident, said, “Although the service road is in poor shape overall, the stretch from Hinjawadi to Wakad is in the worst condition. There are potholes, obstacles, and whatnot on such a heavily used road. Thousands use it to enter and exit Hinjawadi, as well as nearby areas like Maan and Marunji. Residents of Wakad also rely on it. Both sides of the service road are in terrible condition. The road leading to Phoenix Mall is equally bad, and the rain makes it worse. This problem has persisted for years.”
Another resident, speaking on condition of anonymity, said, “I work at a college in Tathawade. Reaching there is exhausting because the service road is filled with potholes. We need strict action.”
Commuters are facing multiple challenges due to the damaged road. The Mumbai-Bengaluru Highway connects major cities including Pune, Satara, Karad, and Kolhapur. The volume of traffic on this stretch is high, and the poor condition of the service road only worsens congestion. It takes an unreasonable amount of time to travel even short distances, whether toward the Old Mumbai-Pune Highway, the Expressway, or the Katraj-Khed Shivapur stretch.
Police Inspector Rahul Sonawane, in charge of Hinjawadi Police Station, said, “Correspondence has been made with the concerned departments regarding the removal of obstructions from the road. Work is already underway in some places. Efforts are ongoing to streamline traffic movement.”
Anant Kulkarni, Highway Engineer at NHAI, stated, “The entire service road is being concretized from Khed Shivapur to Dehu Road. Work has begun in Phase 1 at Sasewadi near Khed Shivapur and near Kiwale. However, rainfall is causing delays. Repairs will be completed once the rains subside.”
Hinjawadi’s Major Obstacle in the Middle of the Service Road
At Bhujbal Chowk (below Wakad Bridge, in front of Ranjai Hotel), MSEDCL’s DP boxes have been placed right in the middle of the road, creating a major traffic bottleneck. These boxes split the road in two, forcing vehicles turning left to detour and merge again, causing further delays and congestion.
Inspector Sonawane added, “Efforts are underway to remove the DP boxes. Doing so will significantly improve traffic flow and reduce congestion. We will ensure that the issue is resolved promptly.”
