“The construction work including underpasses and flyover at Chandani Chowk has been completed. Union Minister Nitin Gadkari will now inaugurate the flyover on August 12. Immediately after the inauguration, the route will be opened for traffic,” said Pune district collection Rajesh Deshmukh as quoted by Hindustan Times. 

On Wednesday, the remaining preparations like finishing touches, and beautification work were being done. Authorities are also working to make sure the newly built flyover is both aesthetically pleasing and useful.

The commuters who have been enduring extreme traffic problems in the neighborhood may benefit greatly from this effort.

In August last year, Gadkari personally visited the Chandani Chowk area to take stock of the ongoing traffic congestion. He presided over the flyover’s groundbreaking ceremony with the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), HT reported. 

Traffic congestion from the NDA Road side ramp at peak hours, and long lines of vehicles during peak hours on weekdays, are one of the biggest problems that travelers are experiencing. Similar problems exist with the service road that descends toward the Kothrud side but is too steep for commuters.

The timeframe for finishing the flyover was repeatedly extended as a result of several delays experienced by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), mostly due to the issues with land acquisition. 

However, Gadkari convened a review meeting in Pune and gave the order to finish the work by the end of August. After the overpass was finished, a military tank replica was put in place at Chandani Chowk, as per HT reports. 

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde also visited Chandani Chowk last August and ordered the old bridge to be destroyed in order to reduce traffic. Hence, it was demolished using explosives on October 2, 2022, to ensure the smooth flow of vehicles. 

The bridge was constructed in early 90s on the Mumbai-Bengaluru Highway (NH4) in the Chandani Chowk area of the city.

Updated: 12 Aug 2023, 07:06 AM IST