PCMC to build underpass on Aundh-Ravet Road
As part of managing traffic in the Y-junction at which Wakad Road meets Aundh-Ravet Road, Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) is planning to construct an underpass. It is hoped that this move will reduce traffic and make the junction signal-free.
A civic official informed that the proposal for construction of the underpass had been approved by the law committee. The resolution would now be sent to the civic general body for further approval. Once approved, tenders would be invited from private contractors for the construction work.
Areas and benefits of building the underpass
According to market reports, the stretch of Aundh-Ravet Road from Rajiv Gandhi Bridge in Sangvi to Ravet would be developed as a Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) corridor. This area, of about 14 km, would be widened to about 45 m. The total estimated cost of the construction is about Rs 14 crores.
At present, Aundh-Ravet road is linked with the road that is connected to Wakad. The intersection of these two roads forms a Y-junction. With the construction of the underpass, commuters from Wakad can avoid the heavy traffic jam at the junction and can have a smooth and safe drive to Aundh. The underpass would be constructed with a length of about 465 metres and would have a width of 7.5 m wide. Vehicles with a height of upto 4.5 metres would be able to pass through the by-lane underway.
The traffic congestion at the junction would be further reduced with the development of a new service road, which would be constructed as a link between Wakad Road and Aundh-Ravet Road. This service road would help in diverting the vehicles moving towards Dange Chowk, before reaching the junction. It would reduce the traffic congestion at the junction, significantly.
The spokesperson for the civic engineering department, Mr. Shirish Poreddy, said that the BRT buses would run along the central part of Aundh-Ravet Road, above the underpass. This would help in avoiding any conflicts with other vehicles and would assist in a free flow of traffic, without a traffic signal.
