Pune: Bombay High Court Orders Expedited Opening of Wakad-Balewadi Bridge After Years of Delay
Pune, 16th April 2025: The Bombay High Court has directed the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) to immediately consider a land acquisition proposal and expedite the opening of the Wakad-Balewadi Bridge, which has remained closed to the public for a decade. The ruling came after a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) highlighted the severe inconvenience faced by over 2.50 lakh residents due to the bridge’s non-operational status.
The bench, headed by Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice M. S. Karnik, heard the matter on 9th April and uploaded the order on 15th April. Advocate Satya Muley, representing the petitioners, argued that the closure forces residents to rely on the congested Mumbai-Bengaluru Highway, leading to increased travel times and fuel wastage. The bridge, sanctioned in 2013 and completed in 2019 at a cost of over Rs 31 Crores, lacks connectivity to existing roads on the Balewadi side.
The PMC has submitted that it has allocated Rs 25 Crore for land acquisition, with resolutions approved by the Standing Committee and the General Body on 20th March, following recent hearings. The High Court has instructed the PMC to expedite the land acquisition process and open the bridge promptly. Advocate Muley stated that further legal action would be pursued if the bridge is not opened shortly, calling the current situation “an utter waste of public money”.
