The road from Dapodi to Bopkhel village, passing through the College of Military Engineering (CME) limits, was closed in May 2015 by order of the Bombay High Court. This closure forced Bopkhel residents to take a detour of approximately 16 km, instead of the original 2 km, to reach Dapodi. Citizens, students, and workers were inconvenienced by this, having to travel through Bhosari or Vishrantwadi, about 15 to 16 km via Khadki to Pune.
Now, the construction of a new road and bridge is complete, and the bridge is set to open for traffic soon. This will ease travel between Khadki Cantonment, Pimpri-Chinchwad, and Pune, reducing the travel distance to 2.9 km, saving time, fuel.
The project, however, was delayed due to legal issues, land acquisition problems with the Defense Department, and other obstacles, leading to a 24-month extension. The bridge, which is 1,856 meters long and 8.40 meters wide, includes access roads measuring 58 meters on the Bopkhel side and 262 meters on the Khadki side. After four years, the construction is finally complete, and the inauguration is pending, likely before the model code of conduct for the assembly elections takes effect.
The late Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar and Minister of State for Defense Shripad Naik were instrumental in supporting the bridge’s construction by facilitating Defense Department cooperation. Now, the bridge is ready for traffic.
Additionally, a godown and parking area, as suggested by the Defense Department, have been completed. Following an inspection by Defense Department officials, the bridge will be opened for traffic. Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation Chief Engineer Pramod Ombhase assured that this process will be completed soon.
