PUNE: Survey for the Kothrud to
Pashan tunnel is expected to start in around a fortnight. The
Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) officials have said that the surveyor has been finalised.
“We have given approval to the proposal of appointing a consultant. The decision on constructing the tunnel will be taken once the report is ready. The views of local residents will be taken into consideration before implementing this project,” said
Yogesh Mulik, chairman of the standing committee.
He said the project aims at reducing hassles of commuters going from Kothrud to Pashan and surrounding areas.
The Pashan-Panchavati-Kothrud tunnel proposal is among few other road projects proposed by the administration along the hills to streamline road traffic. PMC had announced the building Pashan to Kothrud tunnel in the municipal budget of 2017.
The preliminary work on this project was initiated by the civic administration a few months ago. Initially, proposals were invited from the empaneled consultants but there was very poor response.
Earlier, the administration had initiated steps to appoint consultants for the
Balbharati-Paud Phata road link proposed along the Law College road hills. There is also a third plan — to connect Sinhagad road to Pune Satara road — by blasting a tunnel through the Taljai Waghjai hill complex.
As per the PMC officials, all these projects were currently at the planning stage and an environment impact assessment has to be done before executing the projects. Local residents have strongly opposed the tunnel plans as they will endanger the biodiversity rich hill that act as Pune’s lungs.
