The land acquisition process for the proposed 83 km ring road to ease traffic congestion in Pune is set to accelerate as the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) submitted acquisition proposals covering 39 hectares across eight villages to the district administration. The proposals relate to the stretch of the ring road falling within PMC limits and mark a substantive step for the long pending scheme. The civic administration indicated that remaining proposals are being prepared. PMC Commissioner Naval Kishore Ram said the civic body plans to complete the processes of arranging funds for land acquisition and the actual construction within the next three to four months. Proposals already prepared cover land in Vadachiwadi, Pisoli, Yewalewadi, Gujar-Nimbalkarwadi, Mangadewadi, Bhilarewadi, Ambegaon Khurd and Jambhulwadi. In four of these villages portions of the proposed alignment pass through areas covered by Town Planning (TP) schemes which could simplify acquisition. The ring road will require acquisition of around 332 hectares of land within PMC limits in total, officials said, while a portion of the alignment will fall under the jurisdiction of the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA). The PMRDA will need about 364 hectares across 21 villages for its section but has already reserved corridor land in its development plan and is preparing acquisition proposals. Both agencies will have to focus on mobilising substantial funds required for acquisition and implementation. Simultaneously the PMC is advancing a proposed 44 km elevated High Capacity Mass Transit Route (HCMTR) to tackle congestion and a consolidated proposal for land acquisition and land use permissions will be submitted to the state government. The tender process to appoint a consultant to prepare the development plan has reached the bid opening stage and the plan is expected to be prepared within three months after appointment. The HCMTR will be divided into four packages with priority for sections where the required land is already under PMC possession to allow early construction activity, and authorities expect the combined projects to add capacity and ease pressure on main routes across the city.