One wing of Sinhagad Road flyover opened to traffic on May 1, eases travel time for many

Pune: Dhayari resident Sandip Kadam, a daily commuter on the busy Sinhagad Road, reached home early on Friday after his travel time was shorn by around 20 minutes. Kadam said the faster commute was facilitated by the opening of the Rajaram Bridge-Wadgaon Budruk flyover wing, which was finally thrown open to vehicles on May 1 after a long wait.
Like Kadam, other commuters who took a ride on the 2.2km flyover wing in the last two days also said they were able to eliminate stopping at five major junctions between Rajaram Bridge and Wadgaon, significantly reducing travel time.

The flyover wing was launched on May 1 in the presence of deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar, MPs Murlidhar Mohol and Medha Kulkarni, and others.
An estimated over 1.5 lakh vehicles travel on Sinhagad Road daily. These commuters, who faced hardships for the last three years owing to flyover work and re-routed traffic flow, can now expect some relief.
Shankar Pant, one such regular traveller, said the flyover will not only improve the local commute but also benefit those getting out of the city. "The flyover lands just a few metres before Katraj-Dehu Road bypass. Those headed to Satara or Mumbai will easily be able to connect to it," he said.
But commuters also said the traffic situation will "improve fully" only after Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) opens up the other wing of the flyover (between Wadgaon and Swargate) before the monsoon. Rajesh Jagtap, a Wadgaon resident, said only 50% of the traffic problem stands resolved today. "We expect full relief before the monsoon. Commuters have already faced a lot of inconvenience on this stretch," Jagtap said.
PMC began flyover work in 2021. The administration claimed it made adequate provisions for Metro pillars while constructing the flyover to avoid complications.
Meanwhile, civic officials said they will observe the traffic flow on Sinhagad Road and on the flyover for the next few days. A PMC official told TOI, "We will check traffic movement to see if riders are facing any problems, bottlenecks, or other difficulties."
Other wing's opening in June
PMC is looking to open the flyover's 1.8km-long wing catering to traffic from Wadgaon towards Rajaram Bridge by June. Civic officials said work has reached advanced stages. Construction of ramps at both ends is underway and expected to be finished in a month.
Pune: Dhayari resident Sandip Kadam, a daily commuter on the busy Sinhagad Road, reached home early on Friday after his travel time was shorn by around 20 minutes. Kadam said the faster commute was facilitated by the opening of the Rajaram Bridge-Wadgaon Budruk flyover wing, which was finally thrown open to vehicles on May 1 after a long wait.
Like Kadam, other commuters who took a ride on the 2.2km flyover wing in the last two days also said they were able to eliminate stopping at five major junctions between Rajaram Bridge and Wadgaon, significantly reducing travel time.
The flyover wing was launched on May 1 in the presence of deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar, MPs Murlidhar Mohol and Medha Kulkarni, and others.
An estimated over 1.5 lakh vehicles travel on Sinhagad Road daily. These commuters, who faced hardships for the last three years owing to flyover work and re-routed traffic flow, can now expect some relief.
Shankar Pant, one such regular traveller, said the flyover will not only improve the local commute but also benefit those getting out of the city. "The flyover lands just a few metres before Katraj-Dehu Road bypass. Those headed to Satara or Mumbai will easily be able to connect to it," he said.
But commuters also said the traffic situation will "improve fully" only after Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) opens up the other wing of the flyover (between Wadgaon and Swargate) before the monsoon. Rajesh Jagtap, a Wadgaon resident, said only 50% of the traffic problem stands resolved today. "We expect full relief before the monsoon. Commuters have already faced a lot of inconvenience on this stretch," Jagtap said.
PMC began flyover work in 2021. The administration claimed it made adequate provisions for Metro pillars while constructing the flyover to avoid complications.
Meanwhile, civic officials said they will observe the traffic flow on Sinhagad Road and on the flyover for the next few days. A PMC official told TOI, "We will check traffic movement to see if riders are facing any problems, bottlenecks, or other difficulties."
Other wing's opening in June
PMC is looking to open the flyover's 1.8km-long wing catering to traffic from Wadgaon towards Rajaram Bridge by June. Civic officials said work has reached advanced stages. Construction of ramps at both ends is underway and expected to be finished in a month.