Pune: Commuters travelling to Bhugaon, Pirangut, and surrounding areas will have to wait longer for relief from traffic jams, as a major road and flyover project in the region has been delayed. PMC has decided to scrap the existing tenders because the bids were excessively high.According to civic officials, factors considered before scrapping the tenders included inflated cost estimates, modified contract terms, and the absence of prerequisite feasibility and soil studies.A 60-metre-wide road, a flyover, and a grade separator are planned between Chandani Chowk and Bhugaon to ease traffic congestion in these rapidly developing areas.“The cascading impact of heavy traffic jams at Chandani Chowk and on Bhugaon Road is being felt in nearby areas such as Bavdhan and Kothrud. It is also affecting traffic on the highway, which already experiences heavy congestion caused by commuters travelling toward Hinjewadi,” said Ashwini Pathak, a local resident.Residents said several schools and new housing projects have come up along the stretch, resulting in a drastic increase in traffic. Narrow roads and encroachments are further compounding the problem.“Hundreds of school buses and other private vehicles use this stretch every day. This leads to severe traffic jams, which worsen during the rainy season when the road is riddled with potholes. A proper solution to this problem is the need of the hour,” said Vandana Dhore, a resident of Bhugaon.Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) officials stated that the proposed project aims to improve traffic management along the Chandani Chowk–Bhugaon stretch. This corridor serves as a vital route for vehicles traveling towards Mulshi, Konkan region, Pirangut industrial hub, and the rapidly growing residential areas of Bhugaon and Bhukum. The infrastructure package includes funding for a road measuring 2.2 km in length.Civic officials confirmed that approximately 80% of the land required for the project has already been acquired. Officials also noted that the population of Bhugaon, Bhukum, and adjacent areas is projected to reach nearly three lakh in the coming years. This growth will further increase pressure on the existing road network, which is already struggling with severe congestion.The proposed flyover is intended to separate long-distance through-traffic from local surface-level traffic, while an underpass near the college junction is designed to streamline flow at another major bottleneck. Additionally, a new bridge over Ram Nadi will enable the corridor to accommodate rising traffic volumes while crossing the watercourse.“We reviewed the tenders and found that the bids were higher than the estimates prepared by the civic administration. After scrapping these tenders, a new process will be initiated to reissue the bids,” said Dinkar Gojare, head of the PMC’s project department.
