Pune/ Nagpur: Existing flyovers will be a challenge for extension of metro routes in Pune, MahaMetro's Managing Director Brijesh Dixit said with respect to Katraj and Hadapsar metro route extension.
During a visit to Nagpur, where metro construction is in progress, Dixit told Sakal Times, “On the demand of extension of metro routes, flyovers will be the major hurdles as corporation constructed flyovers in Dhankawadi and Hadapsar. Due to flyovers, we will face space crunch. However, we are working on Detailed Project Reports of extension routes. We have to find some solution for that."
He added that MahaMetro cannot exclude densely populated areas from metro routes as metro is a mass transport system. “For smooth working of metro and other related public transport facilities, a Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority (UMTA) is necessary," Dixit explained. "Under UMTA, We can coordinate planning and implementation of Urban transport Programmes and manage integrated urban transport. If the city had UMTA, the city’s public transport scenario would have been different.”
Comparing Nagpur Metro with that of Pune, he said, “In Pune, there are more challenges compared to Nagpur. Dense population, an environmental issue and narrow roads are the major problems we are facing. We are trying to solve it by converting challenges into opportunities.”
He said, “We have got more land that we expected from governments. The defence minister has given assurance to hand over land to Maha-Metro for Pimpri-Chinchwad to Rangehills route.”
METRO HIGHLIGHTS
- MahaMetro has begun the first stretch of Pimpri-Chinchwad to Rangehills - a 10.75 kilometre of stretch work and Vanaz-Pune Municipal Corporation route work.
- Hyderabad-based company Nagarjuna Construction Company (NCC) is doing the work. It is also executing the Nagpur Metro project.
- This stretch of metro is elevated. Pillars are being constructed on the divider of Old Mumbai-Pune Highway.
