Pune: Stalled Kharadi-Shivane Riverbed Road Project Under Review Amid Worsening Traffic In Vadgaonsheri
Vadgaonsheri, 27th June 2025: The growing traffic congestion in Vadgaonsheri has prompted the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) to revisit long-pending infrastructure projects aimed at easing the situation. In a significant move, Additional Municipal Commissioner Om Prakash Divate, along with officials from the Road Department, conducted a site inspection of the Kharadi-Shivane riverbed road — a project that has remained incomplete for over 13 years.
Initiated with the objective of reducing the continuous traffic congestion on Nagar Road and surrounding areas, the riverbed road project has so far seen only 50% of its land acquisition completed. The remaining half is stalled due to pending negotiations with landowners, who have recently been served acquisition notices.
The third phase of the project — stretching 11.5 kilometers from Kharadi to Sangamwadi — has made partial progress. About 6 kilometers of land along this stretch has already been acquired. The section between Kharadi village and the Mundhwa Bridge has been completed and opened to traffic, offering some relief to commuters.
However, key portions still remain unresolved. These include the 4-kilometer segment from Sangamwadi to Gunjan Chowk, a 500-meter stretch within Gunjan Chowk itself, and a 1-kilometer road between Vadgaonsheri and Kharadi. Officials stated that once these sections are completed, the proposed riverbed road is expected to significantly reduce traffic pressure on major routes.
During the inspection, Divate emphasized the need to expedite land acquisition and resolve the pending issues through dialogue with property owners. He added that the administration is committed to understanding the landowners’ expectations regarding compensation and is keen to move forward with the project at the earliest.
“This road remains incomplete, and land acquisition is pending at five critical points. We will engage with landowners to discuss compensation options and ensure faster progress,” Divate said.
