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Pune: Maharashtra government approves six-lane, 53 km, elevated Pune-Shirur highway to connect to Samruddhi Expressway

Elevated Pune-Shirur Road

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Pune, September 09, 2024: The Maharashtra state government has approved the development of a 53 km elevated six-lane road from Pune to Shirur, which will connect to the Balasaheb Thackeray Samruddhi Expressway via Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.

This new road will start at Kesnand near Wagholi and Lonikand, and pass through Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. The project, estimated at ₹9,565 crore, will be executed by the Maharashtra State Infrastructure Development Corporation (MSIDC) with assistance from the Public Works Department (PWD).

The Pune-Shirur Road will be upgraded in six stages, and a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed in March 2024 requires that all necessary measures be taken to ensure project commencement within two years. If not completed in time, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MORTH) may take over the project in public interest.

During a cabinet meeting, it was decided that the national highway passing through Ahmednagar to Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar would also be upgraded. An additional ₹2,050 crore has been allocated for improving this road via the Ahmednagar Bypass, which brings the total cost to ₹9,565 crore.

The new expressway will run parallel to the existing Pune-Nagar-Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Road, stretching around 250 km with official entry and exit points at Shirur, Ahmednagar, Nevasa, Devgad, Paithan, and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. Upon completion, the elevated road will alleviate traffic congestion in areas like Yerawada, Kharadi, Wagholi, Lonikand, and Shikrapur, significantly reducing travel time between Wagholi and Pune.

Shirur MP Dr. Amol Kolhe played a key role in securing the project’s approval, engaging with Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, the National Highway Authority, and the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation. He emphasized the need for prompt action to avoid further delays in the tender process, following the project’s transfer from the National Highway Authority to the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation.