Ajit Pawar Urges Widening of Three National Highways to Ease Pune’s Traffic Congestion

Mumbai : To resolve the persistent traffic congestion in Pune and its surrounding areas, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar has urged Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari to immediately widen three key national highways passing through the region.

In a formal letter addressed to the Union Minister, Pawar highlighted the urgent need to expand the following highways:

• National Highway 60 (Nashik Phata to Khed) – from the existing 4 lanes to 6 lanes
• National Highway 65 (Hadapsar to Yavat) – from 4 lanes to 6 lanes
• National Highway 548D (Talegaon–Chakan–Shikrapur) – from 2 lanes to 4 lanes

Pawar explained that these highways pass through densely populated and economically significant areas that include educational institutions, industrial zones, residential colonies, hospitals, petroleum and automobile industries, and major commercial hubs. The current infrastructure is unable to handle the massive volume of vehicular traffic, leading to severe and frequent traffic snarls that also pose risks to commuter safety.

The letter further states that vehicle volume has already surpassed the capacity of these roads. Immediate lane expansion is crucial, not only to alleviate present traffic woes but also to facilitate upcoming elevated corridor projects, for which alternate routes will be essential during construction.

These three highways also serve as main entry points into Pune city, and the inflow of vehicles from outer regions adds to the bottlenecks. Urgent infrastructure upgrades are therefore necessary to maintain smooth traffic flow and ensure public safety.

Regarding the Talegaon–Chakan–Shikrapur route, Pawar noted that the widening project could also serve as a temporary relief during the final phase of the ongoing elevated highway tender process.

The Deputy Chief Minister concluded by requesting Minister Gadkari to approve the proposal and ensure prompt release of funding and administrative clearance. This, he said, would go a long way in addressing the growing transportation challenges in Pune’s industrial belt.