PUNE: The integrated flyover for 23 km Pune Metro Line 3 is expected to be ready by April next year, PMRDA sources told TOI.
The flyover work was initially stated to be completed by Nov this year. It was then pushed to Dec. The delay will impact the opening of the entire 23-km Metro corridor from Maan to Shivajinagar.
“Construction of ramp and deck slabs is still pending. We also need permissions for certain stretches, so the 1.7-km flyover work will not be fully completed until April 2025,” the source said.
“The integrated flyover is a critical component. We cannot start operations without it. While work is on for the entire corridor, it is likely to be completed only by end of next year,” another official said.
Officials cited heavy traffic along the busy route as a major hurdle in completion of flyover work despite regular review meetings to track the progress of work.
Issues related to multiple clearances for construction activities, including right of way and shifting of utility took time, an official said. Permissions for installation of steel girders at Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) Chowk were not given ahead of elections and Diwali as the route would be chock-a-block with traffic, further delaying the work, said an official.
“This is the main arterial road and heavy traffic and VIP movement during election period prevented continuous work along the stretch,” said another PMRDA official. The proposed traffic diversions, too, did not provide much respite.
While around 75% work of the integrated flyover has been completed, heavy machinery required for construction could not be deployed during the election period. Moreover, ramp works at Pashan, Baner and right of way and some permissions near Raj Bhavan delayed the process. Sources said that Metro stations between Maan and Balewadi Highstreet should be operational till April, but the main hurdle would be construction of Metro stations along the main University Chowk stretch as the road need to be widened and electricity poles removed.
Earlier, the government had issued directions to PMRDA concessionaire Pune IT City Metro Rail Limited (PITCMRL) to complete the work of flyover from SPPU to E Square junction by Nov this year on priority. It was decided to speed up traffic diversion permissions and road widening at select points to avoid inconveniencing commuters to complete the entire Metro line by March 2025. It was also suggested that police should permit round-the-clock work, especially on public holidays, to accelerate the flyover work.
Recently, the Centre had cleared another Rs 200 crore as part of viability gap funding for the project, apart from Rs 400 crore cleared earlier. The Centre is supposed to provide around Rs 1,200 crore for the project, of which approximately Rs 600 crore has already been released.
