Traffic, Potholes, Waterlogging: Pune’s Katraj–Kondhwa Road Woes Continue as PMC Misses June Deadline

Reported by Priyanshu Banerjee & Shoaib Tadvi
Kondhwa, 19th July 2026: The long-delayed Katraj–Kondhwa Road widening project has missed yet another deadline, leaving thousands of commuters and residents to continue battling severe traffic congestion, pothole-ridden roads, waterlogging, dust pollution and prolonged construction work. Despite assurances by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) that the widened road would be opened by the end of June, the project remains incomplete, with the civic administration now extending the completion deadline to March 2027.

PMC Commissioner Naval Kishore Ram, while presenting the municipal budget in March, had announced that land acquisition for the project would be completed by the end of May and the widened road would be opened to traffic by the end of June. However, with July well underway, several land acquisition issues remain unresolved and construction work continues at a slow pace.

The repeated failure to meet deadlines has frustrated residents, who have endured years of traffic congestion, deteriorating road conditions and inconvenience. Many say their confidence in the civic administration has eroded as repeated assurances have failed to translate into visible progress on the ground.

The Katraj–Kondhwa Road, one of south Pune’s busiest arterial routes, connects Katraj, Kondhwa, Khadi Machine Chowk, Undri, Mohammadwadi, NIBM Annexe and neighbouring areas. Every day, thousands of office-goers, students, school buses, ambulances, public transport vehicles and commercial trucks depend on the corridor.

However, daily commuting has become increasingly stressful, with long queues of vehicles stretching across the road during peak hours.

The situation worsens during the monsoon. Deep potholes fill with rainwater, making them difficult to spot and increasing the risk of accidents. Waterlogged stretches, uneven road surfaces and ongoing construction have made driving hazardous, particularly for two-wheeler riders. Pedestrians also struggle to navigate muddy roads and damaged footpaths.

Residents say they now leave their homes much earlier than before just to reach their offices, schools and colleges on time.

Salim Shaikh, a local resident, said: “The road widening work has been going on since 2021, but commuters are still struggling every day. The construction has continued for years, and because of it, traffic has become a part of our daily lives. The worst time is between 7 am and 11 am, when school buses, students and office-goers are all on the road. Many children reach school late due to the long traffic jams. During the monsoon, the situation becomes even more difficult as potholes fill with rainwater, making it dangerous for drivers to judge the road surface. Every few months we hear a new deadline, but the condition of the road remains the same. We just want the authorities to complete the work instead of making repeated promises.”

Niddhi Singh, a resident of Tilekar Nagar, said: “The condition of this road has become worse with every monsoon. Waterlogging hides the potholes, making it extremely risky for two-wheeler riders and pedestrians. We have been hearing about deadlines for years, but the problems remain unchanged. People are losing patience because the work never seems to finish.”

Pranshi Mankar, a resident, said: “What should normally be a 15 to 20-minute journey often takes almost an hour during peak hours. The continuous traffic jams waste time, increase fuel expenses and create unnecessary stress. We hope the authorities speed up the work and complete the project at the earliest so commuters can finally travel safely.”

Apart from traffic congestion, residents continue to face dust pollution caused by construction activity during dry weather. During the rainy season, the same stretches turn muddy, making walking difficult and creating unhygienic conditions. Local shopkeepers say the prolonged construction and poor road conditions have affected their businesses, as many customers avoid travelling through the area.

Commercial vehicle operators have also reported rising operational costs because of the deteriorating road conditions.

A goods vehicle driver said: “We travel on this road every day. Our vehicles need repairs more often because of the bad road. Traffic also means we complete fewer trips in a day. The poor condition of the road has increased our maintenance costs as well as fuel consumption.”

Residents have also expressed concern that severe traffic congestion could delay ambulances and other emergency services, posing a serious risk to public safety.

The approximately 3.5-kilometre stretch between Katraj and Khadi Machine Chowk has been undergoing widening since 2017. Initially planned as an 84-metre-wide road, the project was later revised to 50 metres in its first phase because of prolonged land acquisition hurdles, administrative delays and planning challenges.

According to PMC officials, 84 of the required 109 properties have been acquired, while acquisition of the remaining 25 properties is still pending. Civic officials have attributed the delays to technical issues related to Transferable Development Rights (TDR) and Floor Space Index (FSI), policy changes, and demands from some property owners for cash compensation instead of TDR benefits.

Although PMC claims that land acquisition has gathered pace since April, residents say little progress is visible on the ground and construction continues at a sluggish pace.

Over the past decade, the Katraj–Kondhwa corridor has witnessed rapid residential and commercial development. Thousands of families now live in newly developed housing societies, while educational institutions, hospitals and commercial establishments have grown significantly.

However, residents say the road infrastructure has failed to keep pace with the area’s rapid urban expansion.

With the latest extension pushing the completion deadline to March 2027, residents fear yet another prolonged period of congestion and inconvenience. They are urging the Pune Municipal Corporation to expedite the remaining land acquisition, complete the road widening project without further delay, repair damaged stretches immediately, improve stormwater drainage to prevent waterlogging, and implement effective traffic management during the construction period.

Until these issues are resolved, one of Pune’s most critical transport corridors will continue to test the patience of thousands of commuters every day, underscoring the urgent need for faster execution of one of the city’s longest-pending infrastructure projects.