Pune Set to Become a Development Engine by 2030, Says CM Devendra Fadnavis

Mumbai, July 19: Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced on Saturday that Pune is on track to become a major global hub for ‘Deep Tech’ and ‘Global Capability Centers’ (GCC) by 2030. He emphasized that the city will establish itself as a leading modern city and a ‘growth engine’ for the country.

During the inauguration ceremony for three major elevated corridor projects—Pune-Shirur, Talegaon-Chakan-Shikrapur, and Hadapsar-Yawat—Fadnavis highlighted the state’s efforts to address the long-standing traffic congestion issues in Pune.

The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) has implemented these projects on a ‘Build-Operate-Transfer’ (BOT) basis, yielding an initial premium of ₹950 crore. This includes ₹500 crore from the Pune-Shirur corridor, ₹300 crore from the Talegaon-Chakan-Shikrapur corridor, and ₹150 crore from the Hadapsar-Yawat corridor.

Fadnavis noted that all three elevated corridors are designed with future metro lines in mind. He stated that incorporating the structural design of the metro into the existing flyover blueprints will prevent future disruptions and reduce alignment costs by at least 40%.

To enhance connectivity to the upcoming Purandar International Airport, the government plans to construct a double-tube tunnel through Dive Ghat, facilitating both road and metro transport. Over 50% of the land acquisition for the airport has already been completed, setting a national record for speed.

Additionally, a 173-kilometer outer ring road and an 86-kilometer inner ring road are expected to be completed within two years, which is anticipated to reduce traffic congestion in the city by 30%.

Discussing long-term plans, Fadnavis emphasized sustainable water management and mentioned that large-scale sewage treatment plants (STPs) are being set up with the help of GICA and the World Bank to recycle urban wastewater.

Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari stated that these three elevated corridors will significantly reduce traffic jams and pollution. He also noted that international engineering solutions are being adopted to address land acquisition challenges for highway expansions.

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