Traffic through Pune’s Diveghat will be completely closed in both directions for two hours on Friday, October 23, while controlled blasting is carried out for the widening of the Alandi-Pandharpur Palkhi highway, the National Highways Authority of India and Pune traffic police have said.
The closure will remain in force from 12 noon to 2 pm as a safety measure during blasting work in the ghat section. Authorities have asked motorists to plan their journeys in advance and use alternative routes during the restricted period.
The affected stretch is part of the Hadapsar-Diveghat section of the Palkhi highway, where widening work is under way. The project requires excavation and expansion through difficult, rocky terrain in Diveghat, making controlled blasting necessary at selected locations.
During the two-hour window, all types of vehicles will be stopped from entering or crossing the ghat from either side. The restriction is intended to keep motorists, workers and other people away from the blasting zone while the work is carried out.
Motorists travelling between Pune, Saswad and Jejuri have been advised to consider alternative routes. The traffic police have specifically appealed to drivers to account for the closure while planning journeys towards Saswad, Jejuri or Pune and to cooperate with personnel managing movement on the road.
The Alandi-Pandharpur Palkhi highway is being widened to improve connectivity along a route associated with the annual pilgrimage between Alandi and Pandharpur. The Diveghat section is among the more challenging portions of the Hadapsar-to-Diveghat stretch because construction teams must work through steep and rocky terrain while maintaining public safety.
Deputy Commissioner of Police for the traffic branch, Dr Sandeep Bhajibhakare, appealed to motorists to cooperate so that traffic could be managed smoothly during the restriction. The NHAI and traffic police have not announced a broader closure beyond the two-hour period specified for Friday’s blasting operation.
Vehicles using the route during the affected period will therefore need to avoid Diveghat between noon and 2 pm and follow the alternative arrangements advised by traffic authorities. Normal movement will be subject to the completion of the safety operation and the lifting of the restriction.
