Pune: Gadkari Clears Three New Underpasses on NH-48 Stretch, Relief Likely for Commuters in Punawale and Tathawade
Pune, 1st June 2026: Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari has given the go-ahead for the construction of three new box-structure underpasses along the NH-48 corridor in Pimpri Chinchwad, a move expected to ease chronic traffic congestion in rapidly growing residential and commercial hubs such as Punawale, Tathawade, Wakad and areas.
The decision was taken during a review meeting on pending national highway projects held in Pune on Saturday. According to Chinchwad MLA Shankar Jagtap, Gadkari also directed officials to expedite pending service road works in Tathawade, Punawale and Wakad and approved the widening of existing underpasses at Tathawade and Punawale to improve traffic movement.
The proposed underpasses are expected to address long-standing bottlenecks on the Pune-Western Bypass stretch of NH-48, where existing crossings have struggled to cope with rising vehicular volumes. Residents and daily commuters have repeatedly sought additional crossing points, citing severe congestion and lengthy delays, particularly during peak hours and weekends.
Officials said additional box-structure underpasses will be constructed at key junctions witnessing heavy traffic movement, including Punawale, Kiwale, Ravet and Wakad. These locations handle a large volume of passenger vehicles as well as heavy commercial traffic moving along the Mumbai-Bengaluru highway corridor.
Speaking after the meeting, Jagtap said he had highlighted the need for strengthening infrastructure around Sayaji underpass, Bhumkar Chowk, Tathawade underpass, Punawale underpass, Pawana river crossing, Kiwale junction and Mamurdi underpass, where existing facilities have limited capacity.
“The widening of underpasses and completion of service roads are essential to decongest internal traffic movement in Tathawade, Punawale and Wakad. The Centre has responded positively and directed officials to take up the works on priority,” Jagtap said.
The need for additional infrastructure has become more pressing due to rapid urbanisation on both sides of the highway. Thousands of IT professionals and daily commuters living in the fast-growing suburbs routinely face traffic snarls at existing underpasses, which have limited carrying capacity.
Jagtap had earlier raised the issue in the state legislature and proposed the construction of eight box-structure underpasses along the stretch, arguing that the region’s infrastructure has not kept pace with population growth and rising traffic demand. The latest approval is expected to provide a significant boost to efforts aimed at improving connectivity and reducing travel time along one of the busiest highway stretches in the Pune metropolitan region.
