PCMC Widens NH-48 Service Roads to Ease Traffic

21 May 2025 CW Team

The initiative involves widening over 10 kilometres of existing service roads on both sides of the highway. According to NHAI’s development plan, the current 12-metre-wide service road will be expanded by an additional 12 metres, resulting in a total width of 24 metres. The new road infrastructure will include dual-lane carriageways, underground drainage systems, pedestrian footpaths, and clearly marked entry and exit points.

The construction and future maintenance will be handled by NHAI, with the aim of accommodating higher traffic volumes while improving safety for local commuters.

Bapu Gaikwad, Executive Engineer of the Roads, Traffic & Transportation Planning Department at PCMC, stated that 80 per cent of the required land has already been acquired. He emphasised that the focus is currently on shifting the existing service roads, a critical step undertaken before starting flyover construction to minimise disruption.

To facilitate land acquisition, PCMC is organising dedicated camps for property owners whose land is yet to be obtained. These camps aim to address grievances and coordinate closely with NHAI to ensure timely progress.

Local residents have expressed support for the project. "The narrow service roads cause daily delays, especially during rush hours. This upgrade will greatly help regular commuters like me," said Pratik Gurav.

Despite overall approval, concerns persist regarding the displacement of roadside vendors and affected landowners. PCMC officials have reassured that a structured rehabilitation and compensation policy, in accordance with government guidelines, is being finalised.

Once completed, the widened 24-metre service roads are expected to ease traffic flow, reduce bottlenecks, and enhance commuter safety along one of Maharashtra’s busiest highway corridors.

In a move aimed at alleviating traffic congestion and enhancing road safety, the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC), in partnership with the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), has launched a major service road widening project along National Highway 48 within PCMC limits.The initiative involves widening over 10 kilometres of existing service roads on both sides of the highway. According to NHAI’s development plan, the current 12-metre-wide service road will be expanded by an additional 12 metres, resulting in a total width of 24 metres. The new road infrastructure will include dual-lane carriageways, underground drainage systems, pedestrian footpaths, and clearly marked entry and exit points.The construction and future maintenance will be handled by NHAI, with the aim of accommodating higher traffic volumes while improving safety for local commuters.Bapu Gaikwad, Executive Engineer of the Roads, Traffic & Transportation Planning Department at PCMC, stated that 80 per cent of the required land has already been acquired. He emphasised that the focus is currently on shifting the existing service roads, a critical step undertaken before starting flyover construction to minimise disruption.To facilitate land acquisition, PCMC is organising dedicated camps for property owners whose land is yet to be obtained. These camps aim to address grievances and coordinate closely with NHAI to ensure timely progress.Local residents have expressed support for the project. The narrow service roads cause daily delays, especially during rush hours. This upgrade will greatly help regular commuters like me, said Pratik Gurav.Despite overall approval, concerns persist regarding the displacement of roadside vendors and affected landowners. PCMC officials have reassured that a structured rehabilitation and compensation policy, in accordance with government guidelines, is being finalised.Once completed, the widened 24-metre service roads are expected to ease traffic flow, reduce bottlenecks, and enhance commuter safety along one of Maharashtra’s busiest highway corridors.

Infrastructure Urban

17 Sep 2025

DCPC Prepares for Special Campaign 5.0 with Focus on E-Waste

The Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals (DCPC), Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers, is gearing up for Special Campaign 5.0, to be held from 2nd to 31st October 2025. The initiative will focus on e-waste disposal as per MoEFCC’s E-Waste Management Rules 2022, space optimisation, and enhancing workplace efficiency across field offices.Special Campaign 4.0, conducted between October 2023 and October 2024, delivered notable results in record management, grievance redressal, scrap disposal, and cleanliness drives.Key outcomes of Special Campaign 4.0Records management: 2,443 physical fil..

Real Estate

17 Sep 2025

BlackRock India Leases 1.4 Lakh Sq Ft in Bengaluru

BlackRock Services India, the domestic arm of global asset manager BlackRock, has leased 1.4 lakh sq ft of office space at IndiQube Symphony in Bengaluru, according to Propstack data. The 10-year deal is valued at around Rs 4.10 billion.The lease, among the largest transactions in India’s co-working sector, highlights the growing preference of global institutions for flexible office providers. The agreement, commencing October 1, 2025, covers ground plus five floors in KNG Tower 1 at Ashoknagar, MG Road — one of Bengaluru’s prime commercial hubs.As per the lease document, BlackRock will ..

Infrastructure Transport

17 Sep 2025

L&T Bags Rs 25–50 Bn Order for Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train Track Works

Larsen & Toubro’s (L&T) Transportation Infrastructure business has secured an order valued between Rs 25 crore and Rs 50 billion from the National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail (MAHSR) corridor.The contract, Package T1, involves the design, supply, construction, testing, and commissioning of 156 route km of high-speed ballastless track on a Design-Build Lump Sum Price basis. The stretch runs from Mumbai’s Bandra-Kurla Complex to Zaroli village in Gujarat and includes 21 km of underground track and 135 km of elevated viaduct.Se..