Pune: Bombay HC Orders PMC to Fast-Track Land Acquisition for Unused ₹31-Crore Wakad-Balewadi Bridge
Pune, Apr 17, 2025 — The Bombay High Court has directed the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) to expedite the land acquisition process for the long-unused Wakad-Balewadi bridge, following a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) that highlighted the daily traffic hardships of over 2.5 lakh commuters. Despite being completed in 2018-19 at a cost of ₹31 crore, the bridge has remained closed due to the non-acquisition of 200 square metres of private land.
The matter was heard on April 9, 2025, by a bench led by Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice M S Karnik, with the order uploaded on April 15. The court acknowledged the plight of residents and instructed the PMC and related authorities to take immediate steps to acquire the land and open the bridge.
The PIL, filed by residents and argued by Advocate Satya Muley, emphasized how the bridge would ease the strain between rapidly growing neighbourhoods such as Wakad, Baner, Balewadi, and Kaspate Wasti. These areas, lying under separate municipal corporations (PMC and PCMC), are currently disconnected by the Mula River, forcing commuters to use an 8-kilometre detour via the busy Mumbai-Bangalore highway—resulting in severe congestion and heightened accident risk.
The court order cited PMC’s affidavit stating that the corporation had sent all necessary documents, including surveys and maps, to the land acquisition department as of April 7, 2025. It also mentioned that ₹25 crore has been earmarked for the land acquisition, with the proposal having received approval from both the Standing Committee (via administrator) on March 20, 2025 (resolution no. 2050), and the general body on the same day (resolution no. 513).
The High Court further directed that the “Learned APP communicate this order to the concerned authority of the land acquisition department,” urging the process to be completed swiftly.
The Wakad-Balewadi bridge project was jointly sanctioned by PMC and PCMC in 2013 to enhance connectivity between these high-density residential and commercial zones. Now, with the Bombay HC stepping in, the long-pending infrastructure is expected to finally serve its intended purpose.
