When it rains, Punekars take to the various bridges in the city to enjoy the rain. Just like the Puneri Pati and Puneri Misal, the bridges in Pune are special for their unique names and the beautiful views they provide in every season and festival.
Among these bridges, Bhide Pul, Z Bridge, and Lakdi Pul are the most famous among the city youth. It should be noted that the official names of these bridges are different from what they are referred to as among Punekars.
Bhide Pul is known as Baba Bhide Bridge, Lakdi Pul is Chhatrapati Sambhaji Bridge, and Z Bridge is officially known as Kakasaheb Gadgil Bridge.
Here's the history behind these heritage structures in Pune:
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Bhide Pul
Writer Suprasad Puranik has told the story behind the name of this bridge in the book 'Nava mage dadlay kay' (What is hidden behind the name).
The bridge is named after a famous lawyer and RSS worker Baba Bhide.
Babarao Bhide's full name was Balwant Narayan Bhide. He was born on 13 November 1904 in Sabniswadi village, Man taluka of Satara. Born into a farming family, Bhide completed his primary education in Satara. In 1920, when the Bhide family moved to Pune, he pursued further education at the New English School of Pune and passed matriculation in 1923. He graduated from Sir Parashurambhau College in 1927 and started practicing law in 1929 after receiving an LLB degree.
In the early days, Babarao Bhide practiced law at the Khadki court, handling both criminal and civil cases. Later, he focused solely on criminal work and became a prominent criminal lawyer in Pune. He also served as the President of the Pune Bar Association. It was his way of serving society. In 1938, Babarao Bhide first came into contact with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) when Dr Hedgewar visited Pune. Bhide worked as the Tehsil Leader for RSS from 1938 to 1942 and remained dedicated to the RSS till his last breath. In 1967, he was appointed Maharashtra Province Sanghchalak. He held a place of honour in Pune's public life, donating his land to educational institutions for a nominal amount of ₹1. He was associated with various public sector organisations and served as president of many.
Bhide considered Lokmanya Tilak his role model and was imprisoned several times during the Emergency. He passed away on 9 May 1983 at the age of 79 in Nashik.
In recognition of his contributions, the Pune Municipal Corporation named the bridge over the Mutha River, connecting the Deccan Gymkhana to Kelkar Road in Pune, after him. The Babarao Bhide Bridge was inaugurated on 24 June 2000 by Nitin Gadkari. The bridge is 88 meters long and was constructed at a cost of ₹81 lakh.
Lakdi Pul
It is one of the oldest bridges in Pune, second only to Wellesley Bridge. It is also known as Lakdi Pul because of its original lakdi (wooden) structure.
It has been tagged as a Grade II heritage site by the PMC. Built originally over the Mutha River in 1761 to allow the Maratha army, having lost the Third Battle of Panipat, to enter the city without public scrutiny, the bridge was destroyed twice in floods - once in 1840 and a second time during the Panshet floods. It is said that Balaji Baji Rao, also known as Nanasaheb Peshwa, monitored its construction, which was completed in just 30 days.
Historically, swimmers would jump from the bridge into the river during the monsoon while the public cheered for them. For many years, two-wheelers were prohibited from crossing the bridge between 7 am and 9 pm, forcing riders to use alternative routes such as Bhide Bridge, Poona Hospital Bridge, or NV Gadgil Bridge. However, these restrictions on two-wheelers were lifted recently, after 25 years, allowing them to cross the bridge at any time.
Z Bridge
The Z Bridge in Pune, also known as Kakasaheb Gadgil Bridge, is more than just a road connection; it's a popular gathering spot where friends and couples often spend hours.
Shaped like the letter Z, this bridge spans the Mutha River and provides a pleasant atmosphere for an enjoyable evening. Regardless of the season—rain, summer, or winter—the bridge consistently remains a favorite hangout spot for many.
The bridge is either called Z or two-wheeler bridge. It was initially built for bicycles when the city was known as the bicycle city.
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