The underpass connecting Keshavnagar and Amanora Park Town was completed two years ago, but still remains non-operational.
The underpass, which was constructed by the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA), has not been opened for public use. Residents claim that the underpass has been neglected by the authorities, with water accumulation visible inside. The walls of the bridge are covered with algae, and hyacinth can be seen growing in the stagnant water.
The underpass was constructed with the aim of addressing increasing vehicular congestion at Mundhwa.
Chaitnya Sharma, a resident of Mundhwa, said, “The bridge has been ready for more than 1.5 years. Taxpayers’ hard-earned money is just getting wasted. The railway crossing is a big problem because the crossing roads are very narrow and one-way. Almost all trains passing through Pune use these tracks, so the crossing is closed every 5–10 minutes, especially during peak hours. The other way to enter Keshavnagar is via Mundhwa Chowk, which is also jammed, and even the Y-junction in Keshavnagar faces congestion. In this scenario, it’s a shame that authorities cannot make a simple road on both sides. There is no update on this. No one knows when the underpass will start, and it seems no one cares. Keshavnagar residents are just paying taxes, water tanker bills, and getting stuck in traffic for hours with no basic facilities, while construction is coming up in Keshavnagar at a very fast pace.”
A resident of Keshav Nagar, Neeraj Pawar, said, “We have been waiting for a long time for the underpass to be inaugurated because it will ease traffic at major bottlenecks, including Mundhwa Chowk, Tadigutta Chowk and Kad Vasti Chowk. The residents of Mundhwa have long been demanding that bottlenecks in the Mundhwa and Keshavnagar areas be cleared.”
Sudhir Shrivastava, Director of the Keshav Nagar Welfare Association, said, “We have been following up with authorities for the past two years to open the underpass for public use, but nothing has been done so far. We also raised the issue of the non-completion and non-operation of the Kharadi bridge and the underpass with the late Ajit Pawar in September 2025, and he assured us that it would be made operational. Since PMC elections were due, we expected a delay, but it’s been two years now, and the underpass is yet to be opened for public use. Though the Kharadi bridge is nearing completion, we expect the same progress with the underpass. Even the PMC commissioner assured us it would be made operational soon, as the civic body is actively resolving land acquisition issues.”
Meanwhile, Dada Dyanoba Kodre, who won the PMC elections from Ward No. 15 and is now a corporator from Keshavnagar, said, “The Kharadi bridge issue is being resolved, as it is almost complete and will be made operational for public use. The underpass will also become operational in the next few months, as we have already raised the issue and the PMC has resolved land acquisition in that area. We are doing a lot to reduce traffic congestion, and people of Keshavnagar and Mundhwa will get decongested roads.”
