18 July,2026 10:30 PM IST | Pune | Archana Dahiwal
Devendra Fadnavis, Nitin Gadkari, Sunetra Pawar, Chandrakant Patil, and other leaders during the launch of the projects at Ganesh Kala Krida Manch in Pune on Saturday. PIC/BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Maharashtra Chief Minister (CM) Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday said Pune is on course to emerge as one of India's most advanced cities and a major national growth engine by 2030, driven by world-class infrastructure, deep-tech industries, and Global Capability Centres (GCCs). He was speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony for three major elevated road corridor projects - Pune-Shirur, Talegaon-Chakan-Shikrapur, and Hadapsar-Yavat.
The projects, being implemented by the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) under the âBuild, Use and Transfer (BUT)' model, are expected to significantly reduce traffic congestion, improve industrial connectivity, and support Pune's long-term urban expansion. The state government will receive an advance premium of Rs 950 crore from the projects - Rs 500 crore for Pune-Shirur, Rs 300 crore for Talegaon-Chakan-Shikrapur, and Rs 150 crore for Hadapsar-Yavat.
The ceremony, held at Ganesh Kala Krida Manch, was attended by Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari, Deputy CM Sunetra Ajit Pawar, Higher and Technical Education Minister Chandrakant Patil, Public Works Minister Shivendrasinhraje Bhosale, Minister of State Madhuri Misal, Members of Parliament (MPs), legislators, and senior government officials.
Fadnavis said the three elevated corridors would provide a permanent solution to traffic bottlenecks, particularly on roads connecting Pune's industrial hubs. He also announced that all three corridors have been designed to accommodate future Metro lines, reducing future construction costs by nearly 40 per cent.
The government is also focusing on improving connectivity to the proposed Purandar International Airport, Fadnavis added. Plans are under consideration for a twin tunnel through Dive Ghat to carry both road and metro traffic, drastically reducing travel time to the airport. More than 50 per cent of the land acquisition for the airport has already been completed, which the Maharashtra CM described as a record in India's infrastructure history.
He further said the 173-km outer ring road and 86-km inner ring road are targeted for completion within two years, with the potential to reduce Pune's traffic congestion by nearly 30 per cent.
Highlighting Pune's economic growth, Fadnavis said the city is rapidly emerging as a hub for engineering, startups, deep technology, and GCCs, with nearly 35 per cent of India's GCCs expected to be located in Pune. He also emphasised sustainable urban development through wastewater recycling, expansion of sewage treatment plants with support from Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the World Bank, and better long-term water management.
CM Fadnavis said that the 670-km Pune Grand Tour road network, now internationally recognised, would strengthen the city's tourism potential, while an additional 130 km of urban roads are planned for upgradation.
Gadkari said the three elevated corridors would play a crucial role in addressing Pune's worsening traffic congestion and pollution. He noted that land acquisition for road widening in urban areas is increasingly difficult, making elevated corridors built with advanced engineering technologies a practical solution.
He appreciated the Maharashtra government's support, including exemption of the state's goods and services (GST) share on steel and cement, waiver of royalty on construction materials, and assistance in land acquisition, which accelerated the projects.
The Union Minister said cutting-edge technologies such as Ultra-High Performance Fibre Reinforced Concrete (UHPFRC) would allow bridge spans to increase from 30 metres to 120 metres, enabling integrated road, bridge, and metro infrastructure, while reducing construction costs. He directed officials to maintain the highest quality standards, particularly for bridge bearings and expansion joints.
Gadkari also announced that the proposed Surat-Nashik-Ahilyanagar-Solapur highway would divert nearly 40-45 per cent of north-south traffic away from Pune and Mumbai. He added that the Nashik Phata-Khed elevated corridor project worth around Rs 8,000 crore has completed the tendering process and work will begin after land acquisition. The Khambatki Ghat tunnel is nearing completion, while a detailed project report is being prepared for a new Rs 15,000 crore highway connecting Thane, Pune, Shirur and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, he announced.
Pawar described the three elevated corridors as "game changers" that will accelerate Pune's development by easing traffic and improving connectivity.
She said the Pune-Shirur corridor is based on advanced engineering and multimodal transport integration, ensuring faster and safer travel. The Hadapsar-Yavat corridor will reduce travel time and traffic pressure, while the Talegaon-Chakan-Shikrapur corridor will strengthen road connectivity to the industrial belt, boosting logistics, industrial growth, and employment, added Pawar.
She also highlighted ongoing investments in Pune Metro, Ring Road, airport expansion, the Hinjawadi IT Park, and the Chakan-Talegaon industrial corridor. She urged the early implementation of the Nashik Phata-Rajgurunagar elevated highway after resolving technical issues related to land acquisition.
Public Works Minister Shivendrasinhraje Bhosale said the projects are vital to supporting Maharashtra's goal of becoming a USD 1 trillion economy while contributing to India's USD 5 trillion economy target. He said the government is focusing on climate-resilient, globally benchmarked infrastructure using modern construction technologies.
He added that the projects have been designed to meet Pune's future population growth, industrial expansion, IT sector development, and educational needs. Plans are also underway to develop over 300 km of cycling tracks across the city.
Pune-Shirur Corridor: Around 54 km long on NH-753F, including a 31-km six-lane elevated highway, a parallel four-lane service road, and provision for a future metro in the initial 7 km. Travel time between Pune and Shirur will reduce from around two hours to about 45-50 minutes.
Hadapsar-Yavat Corridor: Approximately 31.5 km, featuring a 25-km elevated multi-level highway and a six-lane surface road. It includes provision for future metro connectivity up to Uruli Kanchan and will link the proposed Purandar International Airport, NH-65, and the Pune Ring Road.
Talegaon-Chakan-Shikrapur Corridor: Around 53 km long, comprising a 26-km elevated multi-level highway and a 53.2-km four-lane surface road. The corridor will separate high-speed and local traffic, improve connectivity to the Chakan industrial area, Pune Ring Road, and national highways, and significantly boost industrial, commercial and logistics activities in the region.
