The Ministry of Urban Development has approved the proposal to release the third installment of Rs. 8.62 crore for the Pune Bus Rapid Transport System corridor—Kalewadi-KSB Chowk to Dehu-Alandi Road (Trunk Route 7). The project has achieved 44 per cent physical progress and is likely to be completed by the end of 2014.
Approving the above proposal at the Central Sanctioning and Monitoring Committee meeting held recently, the committee expressed its concern over the slow progress of the project. The committee has requested the Pune Municipal Corporation to prepare a monthly schedule of the planned activities and has asked PMC to submit it to the ministry. According to PMC, however, the JNNURM project delay is due to land issues and court cases.
The approved cost of the project is Rs.219.2 crore with a total additional central assistance commitment of Rs.87.68 crore. Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Ltd is implementing the project.
Though the first BRTS route on Katraj-Swargate-Hadapsar was constructed in 2006, till date, the route has not seen continuous BRTS operation. PMC recently announced four new routes—Warje-Wagholi, Kothrud Depot-Vishrantwadi, Hadapsar-Dhayari and Katraj-Kalewadi on the corridor.
PMC also announced that works on major routes on Nagar Road, Alandi Road and Sangamwadi Road were nearing completion. According to a PMC official, the safety audit of these routes is being carried out, after which these routes would be thrown open for BRTS operations.
Meanwhile, following a recent meeting with PMC officials and IL&FS consultants, who made a presentation on the current progress on the BRTS infrastructure along the Alandi and Nagar roads, the National Society for Clean City has asked PMC to follow the integrated mobility plan while implementing the BRTS in the city. In its letter to the PMC, the NSCC has pointed out that how the BRTS and the metro would complement each as their proposed plans indicate no scope for integration whatsoever.
The NSCC has offered its full support for the BRTS project, which is an economical and optimal public mobility system for the city.
