News Brief
Pune: Feasibility Study Underway For 20-Km Yerawada-Katraj Double-Decker Twin Tunnel
A tunnel (Representational image)
The Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) has undertaken a study for a 20-km double-decker twin tunnel from Yerawada to Katraj, aimed at diverting traffic away from Pune’s most congested zones, Indian Express reported.
To tackle the worsening traffic in Pune, one of India’s most congested cities, PMC, PCMC, PMRDA, the district administration, and traffic police have taken some immediate steps and are simultaneously working on long-term steps.
A PMRDA official said the tunnel will bypass city traffic by rerouting vehicles headed to other parts of Pune.
“This will would decongest existing city roads which cannot be widened and take loads of traffic,” the official was quoted as saying by IE.
The official said the tunnel will feature various escape routes, allowing vehicles to enter and exit based on their specific destinations.
Traffic from Nagar Road, Alandi Road, and Nashik Road will use the tunnel to travel across the city towards Bangalore or southern Maharashtra, he said.
According to the official, traffic surveys and analysis will be done, environmental impact assessment, social impact assessment, and land acquisition plan will be prepared.
Further, public consultation with nearby residents, NGOs working in the area, and other stakeholders will also be done.
Traffic demand estimates, topographic surveys, hydrology studies, and assessment of challenges related to tunnel boring will also be conducted.
In addition, assessment of impact on existing infrastructure, and safety and environmental risks will also be examine.
The analysis will explore potential toll fees for users and evaluate the project’s viability under different public-private partnership (PPP) models.
