Bridge unused for one year

Jagran\City Plus

B D Narayankar

Feb 27, Baner (Pune): Residents of Baner are angry that Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has done little to build an approach road on the Baner side of the already constructed Pimpale Nilakh-Baner bridge. The delay in building the approach road has left the bridge, linking Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, unused for more than a year.

The PMC attributed the delay in building the approach road to the land owners' unwillingness to sell the land required for the same. The civic administration, however, said that it is hopeful of reaching an agreement with them soon.

The rapidly growing areas of Pune and the twin township located near the Rajiv Gandhi Software Technology Park in Hinjewadi are close to the bridge. Thousands of people from Baner, Balewadi, Pashan, Sus, Mhalunge and other areas commute daily to the industrial belt in Pimpri-Chinchwad for work. Similarly, many from the industrial township come to Pune. These commuters currently use the Sangvi route to reach their destinations. The Pimpale Nilakh-Baner bridge will help them save considerable travelling time. Baner residents, in particular, will save around 15-20 minutes.

Ravi Malsure, a resident of Baner says, "I have never seen such incompetence on the part of PMC. For many residents on the Baner side of the bridge a quick drive to Pimpri has become more than a 5-km round trip."

"BPO cab drivers either have to drive around into Baner from the Pimpri side of the Pimpale Nilakh-Baner bridge to pick employees or stop on the Pimpri-side of the bridge and walk across the bridge to bring staff across," says Vivek Rajpurohit, another resident of Baner. "The garbage and recycling trucks have to make a special trip. To get our mail it's a five-km round trip," he adds.

Latika Waghmare runs a big provisional shop, a business just up the road from the bridge. She says that tempos and trucks coming to her shop have a hard time with the detour around the bridge.

Residents here are particularly concerned about the lack of PMC action to build the approach road from Baner side of the bridge. "PMC should have built the bridge after acquiring land for the approach roads. It is a waste of public money as the bridge is ready but has been unusable for more than an year," Snehal Kulkarni said.
Local residents also expressed concern about fire tankers and
ambulance services being delayed due to the
unused bridge.

The bridge, built on Mula river, was jointly constructed by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC). The two civic bodies equally shared the Rs 4.90 cr construction cost. The bridge was completed in September 2007 but has remained unused.

Madhav Latkar, development engineer of PMC says, "We need to construct a 500 metre-long road from the bridge to connect it to the nearest main road. PMC has been trying to acquire land for the approach road even before the bridge was built. But the land owners were reluctant to sell their land. We are still negotiating with them and hope to reach an agreement soon."

"Besides, there was no budgetary provision for the approach road in the previous years. But this year, we have made a provision for the same. The state government has also approved the development plan for Baner-Balewadi, so we feel that the land acquisition process should be completed soon. The tendering process for the construction of the road is also in progress," adds Latkar.