With a high volume of traffic expected in the coming years, Pune is planning multiple flyovers on congested arterial roads, the details of which have yet to be revealed in the Development Project Report (DPR).
On the occasion of the unveiling of the statue of the Late Dr. (Col.) A. Balasubramanian, founder of Sri Balaji University, and the convocation ceremony of its MBA students held on Friday, Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, gave this information.
Nationally acclaimed for his fast work on the first Pune-Mumbai Expressway and the 55 flyovers constructed during his tenure as State Transport Minister in the 1990s, he said the objective of quick mobility is being achieved through other road construction work around Maharashtra and other parts of the country.
Gadkari stated, "Now we are going to make a new road from Nagpur to Pune, which would need only six hours of travel. Delhi to Mumbai is still in progress and will be inaugurated soon. Similarly, Delhi to Jaipur, Dehradun, and Haridwar would take only two hours of travel each. Delhi to Amritsar would take four hours, Delhi to Srinagar eight hours, and Bengaluru to Chennai two hours.’’
Gadkari highlighted the vast potential of road journeys when he said, "Before the Pune-Mumbai road was made, there were nine Jet Airways flights every day. Now, I don’t think there is a single one, as the road journey has improved.’’
In his address to the students, Gadkari encouraged them to go beyond their professional or entrepreneurship and to contribute to society and the nation. He said that, with the degree that students are equipped with, they would surely do well in life. However, sensitivity to people and an attitude of humility will make them more successful and good citizens of the country.