Pune: Six Months, No Progress: Hinjawadi Projects Worth Rs 650 Crore Delayed In Bureaucratic Tug-of-War; Traffic Woes Continue

Hinjawadi, 10th June 2025: The chronic traffic congestion plaguing Hinjawadi’s Rajiv Gandhi Infotech Park shows no signs of relief, as bureaucratic confusion and administrative delays have stalled critical infrastructure projects worth over ₹650 crore. Despite detailed planning by the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) for new flyovers and alternate roads to ease traffic flow, a lack of clarity over land acquisition responsibilities has left these projects stuck on paper.

In recent years, the volume of vehicles entering the IT Park has surged dramatically, overwhelming existing road infrastructure. While plans have been in place for constructing alternate roads and a key flyover at Laxmi Chowk—one of the worst bottlenecks in the area—implementation remains in limbo due to shifting responsibilities between government bodies.

The MIDC initially took charge of the infrastructure upgrade and proposed several major roadworks:

– A four-lane, 720-metre flyover at Laxmi Chowk, estimated to cost ₹40 crore.
– Widening the 900-metre stretch from Shivaji Chowk to the crematorium into a six-lane road at a cost of ₹24.74 crore.
– A 5-kilometre connecting road between Phases 1 and 3 of the IT Park, projected to cost ₹584.14 crore.

However, these projects cannot proceed without land acquisition. Originally, the Public Works Department (PWD) was tasked with acquiring land and transferring it to MIDC. Later, during a review meeting chaired by District Collector Jitendra Dudi, it was decided that MIDC would directly carry out the acquisition to avoid delays. Accordingly, administrative processes were initiated by MIDC.

Yet, in a subsequent meeting at the Chief Minister’s office, the responsibility for land acquisition was reassigned—this time to the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA). As a result, six months have passed without any clear decision on who will officially undertake the land acquisition.

This bureaucratic tug-of-war has left crucial infrastructure work stalled, even as the region’s traffic snarls grow worse. Until clear ownership and decisive action are taken, residents and thousands of daily commuters in Hinjawadi will continue to face worsening gridlocks.