Traffic woes increase amid flyover construction at Katraj Chowk during festive season

The ongoing flyover construction at Katraj Chowk is causing severe traffic congestion, and at least two attempts thus far by the traffic police to reroute the traffic and ease the gridlock have failed. With the festive season in full swing and the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) set to place girders on the flyover, the traffic police are working on yet another traffic diversion plan to help resolve the problem.
Amol Zende, deputy commissioner of police (traffic division), said, “The NHAI wants 35 days closer to Katraj Chowk to place girders on the flyover. The NHAI administration is demanding closure for more than one month. However, we refused because of the Ganesh festival. We implemented a traffic diversion plan on a trial basis. But it did not work out well. Now, we are working on another diversion plan so that the NHAI can complete the girder work.”
“There are limited alternative roads from the Navale flyover side and Kondhwa Road. We are trying to implement the best possible diversion to resolve traffic issues and allow the NHAI to complete the flyover work,” Zende said.
A senior NHAI official on condition of anonymity said, “The traffic at Katraj Chowk has been diverted twice on an experimental basis to explore possible solutions to the congestion caused by the ongoing flyover construction. During these tests, several possibilities and challenges have emerged, prompting a thorough investigation by the traffic authorities. Based on the findings, it has been determined what countermeasures need to be implemented to address the issues effectively. A third test of the traffic diversion will soon be conducted, and only after evaluating its success will the next phase of flyover construction resume.”
Initially, flyover construction was scheduled to be completed by February 2024 but owing to multiple obstacles, the deadline was extended to January 2025. However, it is becoming increasingly clear that even this deadline may not be met. One of the major hurdles in completing the project is the ongoing issue of land acquisition at Katraj Chowk. The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has failed to acquire a major (40-guntha) land parcel owned by a private landowner. Without this land, the flyover girders cannot be placed, stalling the entire project. As a result, the traffic situation has worsened, especially with road widening efforts at the intersection further contributing to the chaos. The already burdened local traffic police are finding it difficult to manage the situation. Out of 43 personnel assigned to the Bharati Vidyapeeth police station, only 25 are actively working on easing the traffic at Katraj Chowk and the surrounding areas.
However, the NHAI remains hopeful that with the cooperation of the PMC, Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML) and traffic police, the project will move forward once the existing issues are resolved. According to NHAI officials, more than 50% of the work has been completed and if the PMC hands over the said land, they will try to meet the January 2025 deadline. However, commuters must brace themselves for continued delays and traffic jams at Katraj Chowk for now.
Appasaheb Patil, a resident of Narhe, expressed concern over the situation at Katraj Chowk. “The situation here is very dangerous. There is heavy traffic congestion at the ground level even as flyover construction machinery hangs overhead while commuters wait at the signal. It takes more than 30 minutes just to cross Katraj Chowk. All the concerned authorities need to take action to solve the traffic issues. Else they should provide alternative route/s by closing the chowk,” he said.
The Katraj flyover is meant to ease the flow of traffic from Navale Bridge to Kondhwa (Wonder City to Rajas Society). It is intended to reduce vehicular queues around the PMPML bus stand, Katraj Mandai and Wonder City and along Satara Road. The central government has allocated funds worth ₹169.15 crore for the flyover.