The long-delayed land acquisition of 40 land owned by Sanjay Gugle at Katraj Chowk has been completed, resolving a 28-year impasse. The acquisition is expected to alleviate severe traffic congestion in the area. Gugle's land, located at plot number 1/2 in Katraj, was affected by the city's 1987 development plan, which designated 30 meters for a DP road and 6,200 square meters for a park.
In 2017, the plan expanded the road to 60 meters, impacting both Katraj-Kondhwa Road and Pune-Satara Road. Gugle had previously approached the High Court regarding compensation for the land.
Under the Land Acquisition Act of 2013, the process took several months to complete. Special Land Acquisition Officers Harshad Ghule and Ajikya Patil handed over possession documents to Deputy Commissioner Pratibha Patil, with municipal officials present.
The acquisition, costing Rs 21.57 crore, was facilitated by efforts from former Commissioner Vikram Kumar, former Additional Commissioner Vikas Dhakne, City Engineer Prashant Waghmare, and others.
Traffic congestion at Katraj Chowk has been a growing concern, exacerbated by the narrow road leading to Kondhwa. The acquired land will enable road widening and provide space for the pillars of a flyover currently under construction. The National Highways Authority has communicated with the municipality regarding the land, and construction on the flyover is expected to resume soon.