Pune: The PMC has decided to intensify land acquisition for the pending section of the Kharadi-Shivane Road project. To take this forward, the civic body’s road department held a meeting on Thursday with landowners likely to be affected by the activity in the Karvenagar area.According to Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) officials, stalled work for the project between Rajaram Bridge and Jawalkar Garden could start soon, following these discussions. Out of the 1,850m-long route from the bridge to the garden, 1,250m is complete, while land acquisition for the remaining 600m is pending.The project is important as it connects the eastern and western parts of the city. The road is 22.5km-long and includes three main stretches: 6km from Shivane to Mhatre Bridge, 5km from Mhatre Bridge to Sangamwadi, and 11.5km from Sangamwadi to Kharadi.“PMC has been offering transferable development rights (TDR) and cash compensation to landowners. Some have agreed to give their land for a stretch near Karvenagar. It will accelerate pending works,” said PMC city engineer Aniruddha Pawaskar.Meanwhile, residents and political leaders of Karvenagar have been demanding measures to speed up this road project for long. According to them, incomplete work near Mahalaxmi Lawns is causing serious traffic problems.“The road is very important not only for residents but also passersby. It should be completed at the earliest. It will resolve traffic congestion in the vicinity,” said Sandeep Khardekar, a local resident and BJP leader. According to residents, traffic from Rajaram Bridge on this DP road faces severe congestion at Vitthal Mandir Chowk. They want urgent steps to be taken to resolve this.“Along with traffic snarls, encroachments and illegal hawkers are also a problems. The administration must remove these hawkers,” said Pratham Joshi, another area resident.Residents said that several spots, such as near Dnyanada School, Shubharambh Lawns, and Gharkul Lawns, also require pedestrian crossings to ensure safe passage for those on foot and to reduce vehicle speed.
