Pune, Maharashtra – The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) is set to utilize police force to overcome a decade-long deadlock on the Katraj-Kondhwa road widening project, signaling a firm stance against property owners who are delaying or refusing to hand over acquired land. This decisive action aims to expedite the development of a critical arterial route in the city, which has been plagued by severe traffic congestion for years.
The PMC has warned that property owners obstructing the project by withholding acquired land will face coercive measures, including police-assisted possession proceedings. This move comes after repeated inspections and reviews of the project’s bottlenecks by senior PMC officials, including Additional Municipal Commissioner (Special) Omprakash Divate, Chief Engineer (Roads) Rajesh Bankar, and Special Land Acquisition Officer Shweta Darunkar. These officials recently conducted an on-site inspection of the stretch from Rajs Society Chowk to Pisoli to assess the project’s impediments.
The Katraj-Kondhwa road is a vital link connecting Satara Road and Solapur Road, and its persistent traffic snarls have been a significant concern for commuters and residents alike. The road widening project, which has been pending for many years, recently gained momentum after Municipal Commissioner Naval Kishore Ram allocated substantial funds from the PMC’s budget for land acquisition. This was further supplemented by financial assistance from the state government, facilitating the declaration of the land acquisition award.
Information available with The Chenab Times indicates that possession of most of the required land has already been secured by the PMC’s land acquisition and property management department. However, a portion of property owners are reportedly delaying the handover process, thereby hindering the commencement of actual road widening work. To address this, PMC officials have also been instructed to remove all unauthorized structures and encroachments within the proposed road alignment, with special teams tasked to clear these obstructions.
The road department has been directed to commence widening work on all available land parcels immediately. The PMC has emphasized the need for a coordinated effort between the road department, land acquisition department, and property management department to ensure the speedy implementation of the project. Delays or negligence in executing the project will not be tolerated, officials stated.
The Katraj-Kondhwa road widening project aims to transform the existing stretch into a wider, more efficient corridor. While the initial plan proposed an 84-meter-wide road, a phased approach is being adopted, with the first phase focusing on a 50-meter-wide road. The project involves acquiring land from numerous properties, and while most acquisitions are in the final stages, the pending cases are causing significant delays. The Pune administration has stated that affected landowners will receive compensation at double the market rate, as per the land acquisition law.
The project has seen various developments over the years, including the issuance of show-cause notices to consultants for delays in submitting crucial plans, such as the management of service lines required for grade separators. The recent push for forceful possession signifies the administration’s commitment to resolving these long-standing issues and improving urban infrastructure.
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The Chenab Times News Desk
