Pune: The Maharashtra govt has established a specialised two-tier traffic committee to ease congestion in the city. The committee will be responsible for planning, financial management, implementation, and monitoring of three landmark urban transport projects.According to a govt resolution (GR) issued on Wednesday by the Urban Development Department, the committee’s purview includes a 64-km underground tunnel network (currently undergoing feasibility study), a 36-km high capacity mass transit route (HCMTR) and an 83-km PMRDA inner ring road, aimed at diverting heavy traffic away from central Pune.The governance of these projects will be divided into two levels to ensure both strategic vision and technical efficiency: The tier 1 high-level committee, chaired by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, will oversee policy decisions, strategic direction, and financial approvals. It will also include the deputy chief ministers (including the guardian minister of Pune) and senior state officials.The tier 2 executive committee, chaired by the commissioner of Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), will handle day-to-day administration, technical execution, and coordination between various agencies. This committee will include the mayors and municipal commissioners of both Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad, alongside PMRDA officials.The GR emphasised that the Pune Metropolitan Region is a vital economic engine, hosting approximately 25% of India’s global capability centres (GCCs). “A future-oriented urban mobility system is necessary to support regional economic growth and ensure the successful implementation of the ‘PMR Growth Hub’ initiative,” the statement noted.The committee is tasked with accelerating several high-priority infrastructure works such as underground tunnels – a PMRDA-proposed project consisting of five routes spanning 64 km to connect major transport lines beneath the city, aimed at reducing surface-level pressure, a 36-km high capacity mass transit route, which has already undergone traffic studies and a detailed project report (DPR) in 2019, and an 83-km PMRDA inner ring road designed to link suburbs and growth centers directly to state and national highways. A detailed feasibility report for this project is currently being prepared.The new administrative framework will operate across the jurisdictions of the PMRDA, the PMC, and the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC). To further assist the committees, a financial adviser, technical consultants, and four non-official members will be appointed following approval from the high-level committee.
