Pune: Chandni Chowk To Be Closed For 9 Hours For Old Bridge Demolition 

Pune, 27th September 2022: Chandani Chowk bridge in Pune city on Mumbai-Bengaluru national highway will be demolished by a controlled explosion between October 1 and October 2, 2022 (Saturday-Sunday) midnight. For that, from October 1 at 11 pm, the traffic on this route will be completely closed till 8 am on October 2. 

The decision was taken in a review meeting chaired by Collector Dr Rajesh Deshmukh. Project Director of National Highway Authority Sanjeev Kadam, Resident Deputy Collector Sanjay Teli, Deputy Commissioner of Police Pune City Traffic Branch Rahul Shrirame etc were present on this occasion.

To solve the traffic problem at Chandani Chowk, the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) will be working on the integrated structure bridge project at Chandani Chowk. Before that, the existing old bridge will be demolished at this place and the highway will be made six-lane.

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari personally visited the place and inspected it and directed to take immediate measures. Accordingly, for the last three weeks, the work of land acquisition for the bridge, shifting of service channels etc. is being done on a war footing. Now all the preparations for demolishing this bridge have been completed and the review meeting about it was under the chairmanship of Dr Deshmukh.

Collector Dr Deshmukh informed that the traffic will be regulated in coordination with the Pune City Police, Pimpri-Chinchwad Police and Pune Rural Police and necessary police arrangements should be provided during the demolition of the bridge. 

“Heavy vehicles coming from Mumbai will be stopped at Urse toll plaza and vehicles coming from Satara to Mumbai will be stopped at Khed Shivapur toll plaza during the traffic closure period. Light vehicles and passenger cars will be diverted via old Mumbai-Pune highway and old Katraj tunnel to pass through Pune city,” he added further. He directed that all three police forces should coordinate the alternative route and traffic regulations for light vehicles.

Considering the volume of traffic on this route during the day, it has been decided to demolish the bridge at night, keeping in mind the inconvenience to the citizens. 

Around 2 am, blasts with help of explosives will be carried out for which 1,300 holes at a distance of 1.5 meters have been made for blasting and about 600 kg of explosives will be used for the blast. All permissions have been obtained from the police department for the explosion. The area around 200 meters of the bridge will be cleared before the blast.

The entire bridge will be illuminated with lights to check safety during demolition and to monitor the work at night. 4 dozers, 8 poclain, 39 tippers and around 100 workers will be deployed to remove the debris and after the blast, the situation will be brought under control after ensuring safety and the removal of the debris will be started. 

It is said that the entire road will be opened for traffic by 8 am on October 2. After that, the work of the additional route will be completed in about 8 days.

Superintendent of Police (Highway Police) Lata Phad, Utkarsh Mehta of Edifice Engineering Mumbai along with officers of the Police Department, Transport Department etc. were present.

Between 11 pm on October 1 and 8 am on October 2, no heavy vehicles will be allowed between Khed Shivapur toll plaza and Urse toll plaza. Between Dukkar Khind and Ghodawat Chowk (Pimpri Chichwad Commissionerate) on the Mumbai-Bangalore National Highway, all types of vehicles will be prohibited in both directions.

Diversion for light and passenger four-wheelers traveling from Satara to Mumbai 

• Khed Shivapur Toll Naka, Shindewadi, Old Katraj Tunnel, Katraj Chowk, Pune Satara Road to Jedhe Chowk, Turn left to Sarasbagh, Puram Chowk, Tilak Road to Khandojibaba Chowk, Fergusson Road to Vir Chafekar Chowk, Left to University Chowk, Rajiv Gandhi Bridge to Aundh-Wakad Road to Wakad Chowk, turn left and take U-turn to Mumbai-Bangalore National Highway 
•  Khed Shivapur Toll Naka, Shindewadi, Old Katraj Tunnel, Katraj Chowk, turn left to Navale Bridge, Vadgaon Bridge Underpass, Sinhgad Road to Rajaram Bridge, D.P. Road to Nalstop, Law College Road, Senapati Bapat Road, University Chowk, Rajiv Gandhi Bridge to Aundh-Wakad Road to Wakad Chowk, turn left and take a U-turn to Mumbai-Bangalore National Highway
• Khed Sivapur Toll Naka, Shindewadi, Old Katraj Tunnel, Katraj Chowk, Left Turn Navale Bridge, Vadgaon Bridge, Warje Bridge Underpass, Ambedkar Chowk, Vandevi Chowk, Karve Putla Chowk, Nalstop, Law College Road, Senapati Bapat Road, University Chowk, Rajiv Gandhi Bridge, Aundh-Wakad Road, Wakad Chowk, turn left and take a U-turn to Mumbai-Bangalore National Highway

For light and passenger four-wheelers traveling from Mumbai to Satara:  

– Urse Toll Road via Old Pune Mumbai Road to Bhakti Shakti Chowk (Nigdi), Nashik Phata, Bopodi Chowk, Engineering College Chowk, Sancheti Chowk, Khandojibaba Chowk, Tilak Road to Jedhe Chowk, Pune-Satara Road to Katraj Chowk, straight through Old Katraj Tunnel toward Satara, Or take a left at Katraj Chowk, Navle Bridge and take the Mumbai-Bangalore National Highway. 

– Wakad Chowk turn left to Rajiv Gandhi Bridge to University Chowk, Sancheti Chowk, turn right to Khandojibaba Chowk, Tilak Road to Jedhe Chowk, Pune-Satara Road to Katraj Chowk, straight through Old Katraj Tunnel to Satara or Katraj Chowk, Navale Bridge turn left to Mumbai-Bangalore National Highway 

-Radha Chowk turn left to Baner Road to University Chowk, right to Sancheti Chowk, right to Khandojibaba Chowk, Tilak Road to Jedhe Chowk, Pune-Satara Road to Katraj Chowk, straight through Old Katraj Tunnel towards Satara or Katraj Chowk, Navle Bridge to left to Mumbai-Bangalore National Highway