The Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) is awaiting state government funds to acquire land needed for widening the Pune-Nashik highway within its limits. Although the civic body submitted a demand for Rs 262 crore in February, no allocation was made in either the annual or supplementary state budgets. A senior PCMC official explained that while about 90% of the required land has been acquired through FSI (Floor Space Index) and TDR (Transferable Development Rights), some landowners are demanding monetary compensation, necessitating state support. The widening will expand the highway to 60 meters, but sections like Bhosari and Chakan, currently as narrow as 24 meters, require special attention. Land acquisition between Nashik Phata and Bhosari has been relatively smooth due to government ownership, but the 12km stretch between Bhosari and the Indrayani River remains challenging.
The Centre’s cabinet committee had approved Rs 7,827 crore worth of projects last year, including an eight-lane elevated corridor between Nashik Phata and Khed. While NHAI has already started the bidding process, PCMC is waiting for clarity on entry and exit points to finalize additional land acquisitions. Last December, Shirur MP wrote to the Chief Minister, urging the state government to prioritize land acquisition for the project. He cited information from Union ministers and NHAI officials that the delay in starting the Nashik Phata-Khed corridor project was primarily due to land acquisition hurdles faced by local authorities.