Pune: Elevated Road Along Mutha River Proposed to Ease Sinhagad Road Traffic Congestion

Pune, 30th March 2026: In an effort to address the growing traffic congestion on Sinhagad Road, the Urban Development Department has directed the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) to prepare a detailed report on a proposed elevated road along the Mutha river.

The proposed route is planned to connect Vitthalwadi to Nanded City in the Parvati Assembly constituency, offering an alternative corridor to the heavily congested Sinhagad Road.

The proposal was submitted by Minister of State for Urban Development and Parvati MLA Madhuri Misal in a letter to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Acting on the request, the department has asked the PMC to submit the detailed report at the earliest.

Currently, Sinhagad Road serves as the primary route connecting Swargate with areas such as Dhayari, Nanded City, Khadakwasla and Donje. Over the past two decades, rapid urban development and a sharp rise in the number of vehicles have resulted in severe traffic congestion throughout the day. Traffic from the Pune–Bengaluru Highway also uses this corridor to enter the city, further increasing the load on the road.

Earlier, the PMC developed an alternative road along the Mutha Right Bank Canal between Pu La Deshpande Garden and Funtime Cinema.

However, this stretch mainly serves Wadgaon Budruk and nearby areas. For commuters travelling further towards Sinhagad Road and adjoining suburbs, the existing Sinhagad Road continues to remain the primary option.

A similar riverside road between Vitthalwadi and Warje was constructed around a decade ago. However, environmental concerns led to legal challenges in the National Green Tribunal (NGT) and later the Supreme Court. While the court permitted construction of the remaining stretch as an elevated road, the PMC reportedly continued work without adhering to the directive.

Subsequently, the court ordered the demolition of the road, which had been constructed at a cost of approximately Rs 23 crore. Taking lessons from the earlier episode, the current proposal focuses on building an elevated road to minimise environmental impact while improving traffic flow in the Sinhagad Road corridor.