Pune's Elevated Roads to Use Malaysian Technology, Cut Pillars and Costs

Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari has announced the adoption of Malaysian Ultra High Performance Fibre Reinforced Concrete (UHPFRC) technology for Pune’s upcoming elevated road corridors. The innovative construction method will allow pillars to be spaced up to 120 metres apart, significantly reducing the number of pillars required and cutting project costs. Gadkari made the announcement during the foundation stone-laying ceremony for three major elevated road projects in Pune district on Saturday.

Tackling Pune’s Traffic and Pollution Challenges

Addressing the event, Gadkari highlighted Pune’s struggle with severe traffic congestion, ranking among the most choked cities in India. He noted that highways connecting Pune to neighbouring cities, including Pune-Mumbai, Pune-Nashik, and Pune-Solapur, have reached their capacity, leaving little scope for expansion. The new elevated corridors, Pune-Shirur, Hadapsar-Yavat, and Talegaon-Chakan-Shikrapur, are expected to alleviate this issue and reduce pollution levels caused by vehicular emissions.

Projects and Costs

The three corridors, managed by the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), will cover highly congested routes in Pune district. The Pune-Shirur corridor spans 53.40 km and is sanctioned at Rs 7,515 crore, while the Hadapsar-Yavat corridor covers 31.65 km with an allocation of Rs 5,265 crore. The Talegaon-Chakan-Shikrapur corridor, measuring 53.20 km, has been sanctioned Rs 4,000 crore. Construction began immediately following the ceremony.

Why UHPFRC Technology Matters

Gadkari explained that UHPFRC, already tested on 40 points of a bridge in Nagpur, uses steel fibre-reinforced beams instead of conventional steel. This allows for longer spans between pillars, up to 120 metres compared to the current Indian Road Congress (IRC) standard of 30 metres. The reduced pillar count is expected to lower costs and improve the efficiency of construction.

Ensuring Quality and Addressing Past Issues

The minister also emphasized the importance of quality control, citing issues with rubber bearings and expansion joints on the Delhi-Dehradun elevated road, where cracks were discovered. Companies responsible for supplying faulty materials have been blacklisted, and Gadkari directed officials to ensure high-quality bearings for the Pune projects. He credited L&T technical expert Venkatram for designing the new corridors, ensuring superior construction standards.

Broader Infrastructure Push in Pune District

Gadkari announced additional road projects worth Rs 50,000 crore for Pune district this year, including a Rs 15,000-crore Shirur-Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar corridor, which will cut travel time between Pune and Nagpur to under five hours. Other upcoming projects include the Nashik Phata-Khed corridor, Ravet-Narhe elevated road, and a new Rs 10,000-crore expressway to reduce Mumbai-Bengaluru travel time to five hours. These initiatives aim to transform Pune’s road infrastructure and ease chronic congestion.

The adoption of UHPFRC technology marks a significant step in modernizing Pune’s road network, addressing both traffic and environmental concerns.

Source: Indian Express