Pune’s long-delayed efforts to ease congestion along the Katraj-Kondhwa corridor have gathered pace after the civic administration accelerated land acquisition for a major Development Plan road, clearing the way for stalled flyover construction linked to a National Highways Authority of India project. The development is expected to improve traffic movement in one of the city’s fastest-growing residential and transit corridors. Officials from the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) confirmed that possession of key land parcels required for the proposed 50-metre-wide Development Plan road between Katraj Chowk and Pisoli has begun, enabling infrastructure work that had faced prolonged delays due to acquisition hurdles.
The corridor forms part of a wider 84-metre road network planned to improve east-west mobility and reduce traffic pressure across southern Pune neighbourhoods witnessing rapid urban expansion. Areas such as Kondhwa, Pisoli, Undri and Mohammadwadi have seen significant residential growth over the past decade, but road infrastructure upgrades have struggled to keep pace with increasing vehicle volumes. Civic officials said the state government had completed compensation procedures for nearly 41,000 square metres of land under the acquisition process earlier this year. PMC has reportedly deposited close to ₹197 crore towards compensation and has started taking physical possession of properties after statutory notices were issued to landowners. During a recent inspection of the corridor, senior civic administrators and elected representatives reviewed the status of acquisition and ongoing road works. Officials indicated that nearly half of the required properties have already been taken over during the initial phase, allowing road development and associated flyover construction to progress simultaneously.
Urban mobility experts say the Katraj-Kondhwa belt has emerged as a critical pressure point within Pune’s transport network due to high commuter movement between residential clusters and commercial districts. Delays at junctions near Katraj Chowk and surrounding arterial roads frequently result in long traffic queues, increased fuel consumption and elevated vehicular emissions. The proposed DP road and flyover infrastructure are expected to create alternative traffic dispersal routes while improving connectivity towards rapidly developing suburban pockets. Analysts also note that improved transport infrastructure could influence future real estate activity across Pune’s southern growth corridor, where housing demand has continued to rise due to comparatively affordable property prices. Parallel civic infrastructure upgrades are also underway in the region. Officials from the Water Supply Department confirmed that newly constructed storage tanks under Pune’s 24×7 water supply programme are expected to improve distribution efficiency in Undri, Mohammadwadi and NIBM Road areas, which have faced recurring supply inconsistencies amid rapid population growth.
Urban planners believe the simultaneous expansion of transport and water infrastructure reflects a broader shift towards integrated urban development in peripheral neighbourhoods. However, they caution that timely execution, coordinated planning and sustainable land-use management will remain essential as Pune continues expanding beyond its traditional city limits. With acquisition activity now moving faster and construction work resuming on critical transport links, the coming months are expected to determine whether the city can finally address long-standing infrastructure gaps in one of its most densely developing urban corridors.
