Mumbai, July 23 -- The Pune Municipal Corporation has moved to fast-track the High Capacity Mass Transit Route (HCMTR), a 36-km elevated corridor first proposed in 1987, with work due to begin after the monsoon. The HCMTR will be 24-metre-wide and is intended to decongest arterial roads by providing an alternative expressway route across the city. A dedicated cell has been constituted to manage the project, with separate teams for grade road development, the elevated corridor, shifting utility services and land acquisition. The municipal administration indicated the project preparation has commenced.
The municipal commissioner said that about 85 per cent of the land required is already available, with 60 per cent owned by government bodies and 25 per cent on grade road, leaving 15 per cent as private land to be acquired. The land acquisition cost has been estimated at Rs 13 billion (bn). The overall project cost was cited at around Rs 90 billion (bn). Officials stated that ramps will link the elevated corridor to major roads to enable vehicles to travel between city corners more directly.
The corporation recalled that execution began in 2020-21 but work was halted after contractors submitted bids roughly 45 per cent above the earlier estimate of Rs 120 billion (bn). The administration has said that the plan is to reissue tenders and proceed with procurement once preparatory tasks are complete. A timeline set by the civic body envisages the route opening to the public in two and a half years.
The HCMTR cell will co-ordinate land acquisition, utility relocation and construction phasing to limit disruption, the municipal office indicated. The elevated corridor is intended to integrate with major roads across Pune and to complement existing transport infrastructure rather than replace it. Officials emphasised that detailed design, cost management and stakeholder consultations will guide the next stages. The civic authority anticipates commencing visible construction activity after the monsoon window.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Construction World.