PCMC’s BRT route to link Nigdi with e-way
A new Bus Rapid Transit(BRT) route has been planned by the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation. The route would run a stretch of 5km and would cover the areas between Nigdi and Kiwale. It is hoped that the route would help in improving the connectivity between areas in and around the city.
With the introduction of the new lane, the city of of Pimpri Chinchwad would be connected to the end of Mumbai-Pune expressway, which lies within the limits of the city. A total of 5 BRT routes would be open to the public after the launch of the Nigdi-Kiwale route.
As per reports, the new BRT route would be funded by the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation, unlike the previous ones. The earlier routes were funded by the central and state government and were completed under the guidance of Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission.
Areas covered and cost of construction
The BRT route from Nigdi to Kiwale is divided into two parts, one which would extend from Sector 23 to Nigdi and the other which would run from Sector 23 to Kiwale. The executive engineer of PCMC informed that the 5.4 km corridor would be constructed at a cost of around Rs. 180 crores and that it will cross the Pune-Lonavla railway line. The road-width would be about 45 metres. Permission would be sought by PCMC from the Railways for construction of an overbridge of 12,00 metres in Ravet, near the Nisarga darshan housing society.
He mentioned that about 60% of the land required for the project is possessed by the civic authority, and the acquisition of the remaining land would be soon be done after obtaining administrative approval for the project by the City Improvement Committee (CIC). He also informed that the annual budget has a provision of Rs. 2.5 to 3 crores for the project.
The Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation have already begun the work along the Mumbai-Pune Highway stretch and on the BRT routes. Bus stations are being constructed and the existing ones, refurbished.
Current scenario
Under the BRT system launched in December 2006, PMPML started plying air-conditioned low-floored volvo buses along different routes in Pune. Though the system was launched after much anticipation, the project failed to keep up to the expectation of the public. Reduced road space, wrong implementation and faulty signal system were some of the main reasons behind its failure. At present, most of the buses are not in service and the lanes prove to a major traffic impediment.
