Pune's HCMTR project back on track as PMC invites consultant bids to revive mega transport corridor

The Pune Municipal Corporation PMC has initiated the process of reviving the longpending High Capacity Mass Transit Route HCMTR project by inviting bids to appoint consultants for technical studies land acquisition and statutory clearancesThe move comes after Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis directed officials to expedite the transport project which has remained pending for more than a decade due to challenges related to land acquisition environmental clearances and changes in the citys transport planningThe civic body has floated separate tenders for the appointment of a principal consultant to undertake preconstruction technical work and another consultant to oversee land acquisition surveys and compliance with statutory requirementsConstruction tenders targeted by OctoberPMC Commissioner Naval Kishore Ram said the civic administration aims to complete the preparatory work within the next few months so that construction tenders can be issued by OctoberWe have initiated the consultant appointment process and have secured an initial funding commitment of Rs 3000 crore for the project he saidThe HCMTR was originally planned as a 3596kilometre elevated ring corridor under Punes Development Plan Following revisions approved by the Maharashtra government in 2024 the project has been expanded to approximately 43 kilometresThe revised alignment includes the VishrantwadiBopodi stretch creating a continuous ring corridor around the city and addressing connectivity gaps identified in the earlier proposalRevised alignment aims to improve connectivityAdditional Municipal Commissioner Pavneet Kaur said the updated alignment broadly follows the route approved by the state government while improving connectivity between key areasAccording to her the appointed consultants will be responsible for updating technical studies completing statutory procedures and preparing the project for executionChief Superintendent Engineer Dinkar Gojare said the corridor alignment has been modified at 12 locations to reduce the requirement for land acquisition and improve the overall feasibility of the projectHe added that the technical studies prepared more than a decade ago are no longer adequate because of rapid urban development and the expansion of Punes transport infrastructureFresh surveys and environmental studies underwayOfficials said updated environmental assessments revised land records and fresh technical plans will be required particularly at locations where the proposed corridor intersects with Metro lines and major roadsAccording to Gojare dronebased land surveys are already underway while the updated technical review is expected to be completed within three monthsHe said nearly 51 per cent of the land required under the original alignment is already available The Maharashtra government has also agreed in principle to transfer the required government land either free of cost or at nominal rates which is expected to reduce acquisitionrelated delaysProject designed to improve urban mobilityThe proposed HCMTR consists of a sixlane 24metrewide elevated corridor with a central Bus Rapid Transit System BRTS The project is intended to facilitate uninterrupted movement of buses and emergency vehicles at speeds of up to 50 kmph while reducing traffic congestion on several major roads across PuneThe corridor is expected to connect several key parts of the city including Bopodi Aundh Shivajinagar Kothrud Erandawane Wanowrie Hadapsar Mundhwa and VishrantwadiWith inputs from PTI