The Pune collector Rajesh Deshmukh was instructed by the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) to complete 80% of the necessary land acquisition for the 136.8 km outer Pune ring road project by February 15. They expressed their hope to issue the letter of intent for the project before the commencement of the actual work, anticipated to begin post-monsoon.

The officer stated that due to the involvement of revenue machinery in poll-related activities, the deadline for land acquisition had been advanced. This same deadline was given to collectors of Mumbai, Raigad, for the Virar-Alibaug multi-purpose corridor, and the Jalna collector for the Jalna-Nanded Expressway.

The total cost for land acquisition of the three projects was estimated to be around Rs 180 billion. The Pune ring road required the acquisition of 1,700 hectares, the Virar-Alibaug corridor needed around 1,000 hectares, and the Jalna-Nanded project involved the acquisition of approximately 2,000 hectares.

As per the local MSRDC official, only 60% of the land had been acquired for the Pune ring road project at present. However, he expressed confidence that 80% of the required land would be acquired by February 15, and the land acquisition was expected to be completed by the end of March.

Rahul Vasaikar, the superintendent engineer at MSRDC overseeing the project, affirmed that timelines would be adhered to, and 70% of the land would be acquired by the end of January. He mentioned that a total of Rs 75 billion would be allocated from the state government for the land acquisition of the outer ring road project, with Rs 30 billion required for the western phase and Rs 45 billion for the eastern phase. The construction was divided into two parts ? eastern and western, and it would be carried out in nine phases based on fund disbursement.

Vasaikar stated that a resolution had been passed to appoint a contractor for the project once 80% of the land was acquired. The request for proposal would be floated, and the letter of award would be given to the lowest bidder, expediting the work. The entire project was projected to be completed by May 2026.

Upon completion, the outer ring road would divert traffic passing through the city towards other districts, allowing heavy vehicles to travel through highways without entering the city. The road, designed for vehicles with a speed of 120 kmph, would pass through 83 villages.