Civic body to upgrade junctions on city stretch of Nashik-Pune highway

Nashik: The civic body has decided to upgrade all major traffic junctions along the 6.4km Dwarka Circle-Datta Mandir stretch of the Nashik-Pune highway to ease congestion and improve commuter safety, with five key intersections set for redesign in line with the Indian Roads Congress guidelines.The move comes alongside the widening of the busy corridor from six lanes to 10 lanes at an estimated cost of Rs 220 crore, with Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC) officials stressing that improved junction design will be critical to ensuring smoother traffic flow once the project is complete.The five major junctions identified for redesign are Kathe Galli, Vijay Mamta signal, Canal Road, Upanagar and Datta Mandir, with several smaller intersections also likely to be upgraded as part of the plan.NMC commissioner Manisha Khatri said the ministry of road transport and highways has already approved the expansion. “Along with road widening, we are focusing on proper junction design to ensure there is no congestion on this crucial route, especially in view of the upcoming Simhastha Kumbh Mela,” Khatri said.She added that land acquisition is nearing completion. “Nearly 95% of the required land has already been acquired, while the remaining 5% will be acquired soon. Actual road work is likely to begin in June, and the project is expected to be completed within a year,” she said.The Dwarka-Nashik Road stretch is one of the city’s busiest corridors, handling heavy intercity and regional traffic towards Pune, Shirdi and the Sinnar industrial belt, apart from significant local movement. A dense cluster of commercial establishments along the route further contributes to frequent bottlenecks.Officials said the upgraded corridor is expected to handle nearly double the current traffic volume, significantly reducing congestion and travel time. With lakhs of pilgrims expected during the Kumbh Mela, the civic body plans to closely monitor execution to ensure timely completion.Authorities added that beyond the religious event, the project is intended as a long-term infrastructure upgrade to support the city’s expanding transport network.