Underpass, flyover to end Chandani Chowk woes

PUNE: An underpass, a flyover, and a service road at Chandani Chowk will smoothen traffic congestion, according to the plan approved by minister of road transport & highways and shipping Nitin Gadkari.
Gadkari, who was in the city, was taking a review meeting of road works in Pune region where the MLAs and MPs of western Maharashtra were also present.
The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) that designed the plan discussed issues regarding the proposal which included land acquisition with Pune Municipal Corporation and the forest department.The proposed plan would achieve a signal-free road and also ensure minimum disturbance to the national highway 4 during construction.
According to the plan, a vehicular underpass exactly in front of proposed 24 metre DP road to serve Pashan locality has been planned. Besides, a flyover from Mulshi for Satara and Kothrud bound traffic is also laid in the proposal which was accepted.
Following the presentation from NHAI on Sunday, Gadkari instructed the NHAI to present a model of the proposed plan to guardian minister Girish Bapat and municipal commissioner Kunal Kumar and other experts and start the tendering and acquisition process. Gadkari said that, "The centre would spend the required amount for construction of the project, however, the PMC should help in land acquisition."
The estimated cost of the project is Rs 400 crore and land to be acquired would be 90,000 sq metres. Kumar gave an in-principle approval for the PMC land that needs acquiring by NHAI. "As soon as the acquisition starts, the tendering process would begin parallely and the project could be conducted in phases and work could ideally start by December," he added.
As many as 69 serious accidents and 35 fatalities have been reported from this area since 2012 and citizens have constantly raised traffic issues. The chowk is a major entry point on NH-4 from the western part of the city and as many as 1.60 lakh vehicles pass through this junction per day.
The Big Picture
Vehicular underpass in front of the proposed 24m DP road to serve Pashan locality
New vehicular underpass in the DP alignment on NH-4, adjoining to existing one
Grade separator on Paud Road (one-way) for the traffic towards Mulshi on the left
Flyover from Mulshi for Satara and Kothrud-bound traffic
Construction of two parallel bridges 12m each at existing vehiculr overpass location on NDA–Pashan Road; existing vehicular overpass will be dismantled
One arm of the flyover from NDA side towards Mumbai from the proposed new flyover
One grade separator for traffic from Mulshi towards Pashan
Earth retaining structures and CD works, drains and footpath
New 24m wide DP road on Pashan side has been constructed (loop road)
Construction of DP road parallel to NH-4 on project stretch