Pune — A Rs 275 crore junction improvement plan is being considered for the congested Solapur Road corridor, with MahaMetro proposing changes between Aakashvani and Bhairoba Nala. The plan seeks to reorganise major junctions and integrate road infrastructure with Pune’s expanding metro network. However, the proposal also raises questions about demolition, land acquisition and whether adding elevated road capacity can deliver lasting relief without strengthening public transport.
MahaMetro has sought in-principle approval from the Pune Municipal Corporation for the concept plan. The proposed elevated section would begin around the Race Course rather than Bhairoba Nala, creating a different starting point for the road intervention. The proposal follows a traffic study covering the Race Course to Manjari Junction stretch. The assessment has examined movement at several critical intersections and recommends a combination of elevated structures, underpasses and grade-separated junctions. A grade-separated junction separates traffic flows by taking vehicles over or below conflicting movements, reducing the need for signals. The estimated Rs 275 crore covers the proposed junction improvements but excludes several potentially significant costs. Land acquisition, road widening and demolition of three existing flyovers are outside the preliminary estimate. That makes the eventual financial requirement difficult to assess at this stage.
The affected structures include Hadapsar Bridge, Sant Dnyaneshwar Flyover and Sant Tukaram Flyover. According to the proposal, parts of the planned elevated road would run alongside the proposed metro alignment, creating the need to reconsider existing structures. The cost and execution strategy for these changes will therefore be important before the project moves beyond the concept stage. The timing is significant because Pune is simultaneously expanding its mass-transit network. MahaMetro’s Phase 2 planning includes the 25.52-km Kharadi–Khadakwasla corridor and a 6.12-km spur from Nal Stop towards Warje and Manik Baug. The Kharadi–Khadakwasla route is planned through several high-demand areas, including Hadapsar and Solapur Road. That overlap creates an opportunity for coordinated transport planning. A road project designed mainly to move more private vehicles could provide short-term gains but risk shifting congestion to the next junction. Pune’s own mobility planning has identified a broader mix of metro, bus, walking and cycling infrastructure as part of its long-term transport framework.
For commuters, the immediate concern remains reliability: predictable journey times, safer junctions and better connections between neighbourhoods and employment centres. For the city, the larger test will be whether the Pune traffic plan is delivered as an integrated mobility project rather than a standalone road expansion. The Pune traffic plan now requires detailed technical scrutiny, including its land, cost, construction and environmental implications. The next decision by civic authorities will determine whether the proposal becomes a coordinated mobility upgrade or another capacity increase on an already heavily urbanised corridor.
