Maharashtra Cabinet Okays Rs 20,375 Crore Hike For Pune Ring Road Project-Details

Pune: The Maharashtra cabinet approved a significant cost escalation of Rs 20,375.21 crore for the construction of the Pune ring road on Friday, raising the total project cost to Rs 42,711.03 crore. This increase comes just three years after the project's initial cost estimation, despite the construction not having commenced yet.According to the cabinet note, the Pune ring road (east) stretches from Urse on the Mumbai–Pune Expressway to Solu, connecting to the Alandi-Markal road, and continues from Solu to Sortapwadi on the Pune-Solapur road. Initially estimated at Rs 10,159.82 crore in September 2021 for a length of 68.19 km, the project’s total length has now been revised to 72.335 km, with the cost increased to Rs 19,932.98 crore.The Pune ring road (west) extends from Urse to Varve Budruk on Satara Road. This segment's cost, originally pegged at Rs 12,176 crore in September 2021, has now escalated to Rs 22,778.05 crore.Anilkumar Gaikwad, Vice-President and Managing Director of the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), attributed the cost escalation to several factors, including the addition of state-of-the-art technology and changes in project specifications.To ensure accuracy in project costing, a third-party assessment was conducted by Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute (VJTI), and a committee headed by Gaikwad was established to oversee this process. "Based on the report received from VJTI in July 2024, the committee has certified the cost," the note concluded.The approval of the cost escalation marks a significant development in the Pune ring road project, aimed at enhancing connectivity in the region.