Flyover Project On Old Pune-Mumbai Highway Awaits Approval For Seven Years Amid Growing Traffic Woes

Pune, 17th April 2025: Motorists traveling along the old Pune-Mumbai highway continue to face persistent traffic congestion, especially near industrial and rapidly urbanizing zones. To address this long-standing issue, the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) had proposed the construction of nine flyovers along the route. However, seven years after the proposal was submitted to the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, it still awaits approval.

The old highway is primarily used by commuters heading toward Lonavala, Talegaon, and Kamshet, and also serves as a feeder route to the Mumbai-Pune Expressway. With a significant number of residents commuting daily for work or business in Mumbai, the highway bears heavy vehicular load, especially near Talegaon, Vadgaon Maval, and Chakan, which have witnessed rapid industrial growth.

The situation worsens during the monsoon, when landslides on the expressway frequently force authorities to divert traffic onto the old highway, adding to the burden. Additionally, long holiday weekends see vehicle queues stretching for kilometers, as the expressway struggles to handle the surge.

Taking these factors into account, MSRDC had proposed flyovers at nine key locations: Somatane Phata, Limb Phata, Talegaon-Chakan Road, MIDC Vadgaon, Dehu Road Y Junction, Vadgaon Phata, Nigdi Phata to Kamshet stretch, Karla Phata, and Kanhe Phata. The aim is to ease traffic flow and reduce bottlenecks, especially at intersections where vehicles currently need to take U-turns or cross over directly on the highway.

Rapid urbanization along the old highway has only added to the traffic pressure. Many junctions force vehicles to stop mid-route for turns, creating long queues behind them and significantly slowing down traffic movement.

MSRDC officials have emphasized that constructing these flyovers would significantly enhance the speed and safety of travel on the old highway. Yet, despite the urgency and growing need, the project continues to be stuck in bureaucratic limbo, with no green signal from the central government.