The Wakad-Balewadi Bridge, which cost Rs 31 Crore and was finished in 2019, has been closed for ten long years. Because of this, the Bombay High Court stepped in and told the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) to hurry up and open the bridge. This decision came because 2.50 lakh people living nearby are upset and want changes.
The bridge can’t be used properly because the roads on the Balewadi side aren’t finished. This means that people have to use the busy Mumbai-Bengaluru Highway to get to work or school every day. The bridge was supposed to help them travel better, but instead, it has become a source of frustration. Many residents have even filed a Public Interest Litigation to show how long their travel times are and how much traffic there is.
To fix this, the PMC has decided to spend Rs 25 Crore to buy the land needed to build the roads. They’ve also approved plans to make this happen quickly. This shows that they want to solve the problem soon and help the people who are affected.
Many activists and local leaders are upset that the bridge is still closed, saying it’s a waste of public money. They remind everyone that a lot of money was spent to build the bridge, and it should be helping people by now.
Experts say that if the PMC doesn’t follow the court’s orders, they might face more problems. The court is concerned about how long it’s taking to open the bridge and wants to see better traffic flow in the area.
The people living near the bridge are still waiting for the PMC to finish the land acquisition and road work. Everyone hopes that the PMC can use the money wisely and complete the work quickly to help the community.
The project represents another step in Pune’s evolving transportation system, which continues to adapt to the city’s growing infrastructure needs.
