Pune Cantonment to see major facelift

PUNE: The Pune Cantonment Board (PCB) is launching a major road-widening project in Pune Camp. The first work order, concerning the East Street, has been issued and work will begin immediately after the end of monsoon.
This will be the first such large-scale operation undertaken for increasing road width in Pune Camp in the past two decades and the project would cover most of the major roads in the cantonment.The budget for it would come from the Rs 5.18-crore sanctioned for public works by the cantonment board for 2007-08 and the final figures would be worked out in a month’s time.
According to PCB president Brigadier R J Sharma, the road-widening would be the first practical step towards implementation of infrastructural development activities under the five- and ten-year long planning announced by the board on September 19.
“The decision to widen the roads has been taken after careful study of the growth in vehicular movement and increase in traffic congestion during the past few years. We are aiming at a project which will eliminate these factors in a gradual manner and road-widening is only the first phase,” Sharma said.
In this regard, the first orders, for widening the East Street, has been issued by the PCB president. Sanctions regarding the other roads would come in the next two-three weeks, Sharma said.
Increasing the width of East Street was the best alternative available at the moment to reduce the traffic congestion and scarcity of parking space on MG Road, the PCB president said. “The East Street is comparatively free of hawkers and illegal squatters. By removing porches, electrical poles and other obstructions an area of at least four-five metre would be gained on both sides of the road.”
The PCB is likely to take up the Coyaji road next. “The footpaths on Coyaji road is under-utilised as it is not a general strolling zone. I have issued orders for reducing the width of the footpaths by 50 per cent to create additional space for parking,” Sharma said.
Sharma did not elaborate on the other roads where the project will be implemented but hinted that most of the major streets and arteries would be improved. “One more round of anti-encroachment drive is likely to free up the footpaths and main junctions. Notices will also be issued to regular and licensed shops found to have grabbed additional space,” Sharma said.