Facelift of Garware subway in Deccan area begins

PUNE: One of Pune’s most used and well-maintained pedestrian subways, the Garware Subway in

Deccan Gymkhana

area, will get a facelift. Renovation work at the subway started recently and is likely to be completed in one-and-a- half months.


The subway, which was constructed and maintained by the erstwhile Garware Wallropes, now Garware Technical Fibres, is being done by the company.

Speaking to TOI,

Pune Municipal Corporation

officials, said, “The renovation project has been passed by the standing committee. It also passed the installation of murals and road railings at the subway by the civic body. The three entry and exit points to the subway will remain. There will be no change to the original structure.”

Officials from the department added that the renovation of the subway is in line with the development of smart footpaths along JM Road and FC Road. “Both the roads are now smart streets and since this subway connects both, we thought this could be an extension of the smart footpaths. Garware Technical Fibres is funding and executing the project, except for the installation of murals and road railings along the carriageways,” an official said.

The flooring and the tiling in the subway is going to be changed completely. Tactile paving will be made available to facilitate visually-impaired persons in using the subway. “Railings will be installed along the stairways and subway for the benefit of senior citizens. Ramps are not being constructed as the stairways are quite narrow. Also, if ramps are provided, two-wheelers may start entering the subway to avoid traffic thus causing inconvenience to pedestrians,” an official said.

The official added that the central pillar and the one with Chhatrapati

Sambhaji

Maharaj’s statue will be beautified. “The granite along the pillar where the statue has been installed will be changed. A stairway is being added for better access to the statue. Landscaping will be done all over the subway,” he added.

Proper illumination and closed circuit television cameras will provide security. The footpaths on either side of the subway will be converted into smart footpaths by the road department.

“Earlier, the proposal for a smart footpath was from beyond the Garware subway to College of Agriculture signal. Now, we have extended the same till Khanduji Baba Chowk. While the internal work is going on at the subway, we will commence work on the peripheral footpaths,” Dinkar Gojare, executive engineer of the road department, told TOI.