By Prachi Mishra
The Pune Municipal Corporation became owner of a significant plot of 60 meters in length and development plan (DP)-road-bound property for demolishing the last considerable traffic congestion points at Katraj Chowk after 28 years. The compensation to the landowner amounts to 2,115.7 million cash for 40 gunthas (40,000 sq. feet) of property, officially bringing it under the jurisdiction of the PMC. This would ease the traffic flow on Katraj-Kondhwa roads and Katraj Chowk.
The acquisition was sealed on Tuesday in the presence of Dr. Rajendra Bhosale, municipal commissioner, Prithviraj BP, additional municipal commissioner, and deputy commissioner Pratibha Patil. It was additionally facilitated by deputy engineer Digambar Bangar, branch engineer Rupali Dhage, draftsman Santosh Shinde and special land acquisition officers Harshad Ghule and Ajikya Patil.
The land would help PMC in constructing the 60-meter-wide road that is going to be thrown open for public use at the starting point of the Katraj flyover for further connectivity and decongestion in the area.
Deputy Commissioner (Land and Estate Management) Pratibha Patil has stated that acquiring 40 gunthas of premium land at Katraj Chowk has now been completed. Under this, ₹21.57 crore will be paid in cash compensation to the landowner by the PMC. We will now develop a 60-meter-wide road, and this will be significant also for the Katraj-Kondhwa flyover. The road construction will start on Thursday as there is a public holiday on Wednesday.
The persistent traffic problems at Katraj Chowk have continued, even after a flyover was constructed about seven years ago on Katraj-Kondhwa Road close to Katraj Zoo.
PMC initially wanted to compensate landowner Sanjay Gugale using Transfer of Development Rights (TDR), which was, however, rejected by the landowner and he moved the writ petition. In 2005, the judgement passed by the court mentioned that “the corporation has no right to claim or encroach upon the land unless it is properly acquired.” The latest acquisition now paved the way to initiate the unavoidable roadwork, which had been long awaited for many commuters in this region.