Traffic on the Old Mumbai-Pune route between Bopodi Chowk and Shivajinagar, which was closed because of Pune Metro construction, will resume on September 1.
PUNE Almost two years after it was closed, the Old Mumbai-Pune highway’s Bopodi Chowk to Shivajinagar section will reopen to two-, three-, and four-wheeled traffic starting today (Friday). However, according to officials, big vehicles would not be permitted to travel over the section.

Due to construction on the Khadki Metro station and road widening, Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation Limited (Maha-Metro) had to close the Old Mumbai-Pune Highway between Bopodi and Khadki station.

In 2021, the route’s traffic was redirected through the Khadki Cantonment area in the direction of Shivajinagar.

Long lines of cars traveling from Bopodi, Khadki, and Aundh Road to Pimpri were frequently seen in the area as a result of the traffic adjustments.

While commuters waited for the route to open for traffic, locals in Khadki were also grumbling about the congestion.

Finally, Maha-Metro informed PMC that Khadki station construction was complete and that the road may now be opened to the public by PMC and the traffic police.

According to Maha-Metro’s public relations officer, Hemant Sonawane, “We have finished the work at the Khadki Metro station, and there is no significant Metro work left on the stretch.”

Last week, representatives from the PMC, Pune traffic police, and Metro met jointly and assessed the route. Following that, PMC decided to allow traffic on the roadways.

We have decided to open one side of the road for two, three, and four-wheelers, said VG Kulkarni, chief superintendent engineer of PMC’s road department. Additionally, PMC is extending a road on one side, and the Metro project is still not quite finished. We have so decided to forbid large trucks.

Road widening work requires at least three to four months, he said. We will then open the roads to all types of cars.

The crucial arterial route that connects Pimpri-Chinchwad and Pune is known as the Old Pune-Mumbai route. Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad’s rapid industrialization and urbanization have overwhelmed the road, particularly within the city limits of Pune, where the road width fluctuates between 18 and 21 meters from Bopodi Chowk to Range Hill Chowk.

Source- Hindustan times
Link- https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/pune-news/pune-commuters-rejoice-as-old-mumbai-pune-highway-reopens-for-traffic-after-two-years-101693509707986.html