Nashik Phata flyover to be inaugurated on 22 January

By Eliza Waghmare

After six months’ delay, the much-awaited two-tier Nashik Phata flyover in Pune is finally expected to be inaugurated on 22 January 2014. The flyover is the first-of-its-kind project in India crossing the Pavana river at 206 m and rail overbridge (ROB) at 110 m.Built at an investment of around Rs 140 crore, the flyover is well connected to the IT hub at Hinjawadi and the upcoming Chakan airport. It will also connect the newly developed residential suburbs and two major National Highways – NH- 4 and NH-15.

While speaking with Infrastructure Today, NM Kadam, General Manager, BG Shirke Construction Technology Pvt Ltd, a contractor working on the project, said, “The flyover can handle around 50-60 vehicles per second, wherein we will provide signal free junction way. Besides, it will be fuel efficient, since will save around Rs 10 crore every year.”

The Nashik Phata flyover is built on two levels, wherein the first level is a twin flyover from Bhosari to Wakad with a height of 16 m and length of 1,800 m (36 spans). The second level flyover has a height of 20 m and length of 1,110 m (27 spans).

Speaking on the landmark project of Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), Kadam added, “Our basic aim through this project is to connect the commercial, residential and IT areas of Pune, and thus this flyover will be very suitable to the public. This will in fact be a landmark project for Pune and has its own identity.”

The bridge has been constructed on the three sides of the busy Pune-Mumbai highway. The traffic on the Pune-Mumbai highway will ply via the ground layer, whereas, the traffic on the Pune-Nashik highway from Pimple Gurav, Wakad, Kasarwadi and nearby areas will pass through the first layer. Vehicles coming from Wakad, Pimple Gurav, Kasarwadi and nearby areas can proceed to Pune or Mumbai via the Pune-Mumbai highway and the traffic from Bhosari towards Pune and vice versa can ply on the second tier of the flyover. Traffic from the Nashik Phata Chowk will not have to stop at the traffic signal.

The construction work on this project was started in 2010, with the total period of around 30 months. However the construction was delayed by six months due to issues like land acquisition and getting the necessary permissions from the railway department since the transmission lines of Kasarwadi railway station was a major hurdle.