Pune’s Nagar Road corridor is facing severe congestion as construction of the Shastrinagar grade separator and flyover has reduced usable road space and diverted vehicles through internal roads. The corridor carries more than 200,000 vehicles a day, leaving limited capacity for local traffic, public transport and through commuters.

The project is intended to improve movement between the Aga Khan Palace area, Gunjan Chowk and Golf Chowk. However, diversions have transferred pressure to roads around Yerawada, Kalyaninagar, Vimannagar, Wadgaonsheri and the Kharadi approach. Residents and commuters have reported longer and less predictable journeys affecting schools, office buses, airport trips, hospitals and eastern Pune’s employment areas.

Traffic interventions introduced in recent years have added to the disruption. These include a signal-free system between Gunjan Chowk and Kharadi, multiple U-turns, median closures, the removal of unused Bus Rapid Transit System infrastructure and utility work. While some measures were intended to improve corridor speeds, they have also made access to neighbourhoods more difficult and concentrated traffic at fewer points.

The current project includes an approximately 750-metre, six-lane grade separator between the Aga Khan Palace side and Gunjan Chowk, along with an approximately 700-metre, four-lane flyover between Aga Khan Palace and Golf Chowk. The project cost is Rs. 819 mn, and the completion deadline is March 2027. Police officials have warned that difficult traffic conditions could continue for two to three months during ongoing work.

Several alternative links have been proposed, including roads connecting Kalyaninagar with Gunjan Chowk and Wadgaonsheri, a route beneath the Metro line and an underpass linking Gunjan Chowk with Airport Road. A longer-term road-cum-Metro extension from Ramwadi towards Kharadi and Wagholi is also under consideration. Until these links become usable, authorities will need to coordinate construction, diversions and public transport measures to keep the existing network functioning.