Bopkhel-Khadki bridge set to open for public use

In a huge relief to thousands of residents the bridge over the Mula River, connecting Bopkhel and Khadki, will be open for the public within a week before the Dussehra festival.
The bridge is 1,856 meters long and 8.40 meters wide, with approach roads of 58 meters on the Bopkhel side and 262 meters on the Khadki side.
The bridge was likely to be open for traffic in August but due to some minor work it was delayed. However, all work of the bridge is now completed, said officials.
Pramod Ombhase, joint city engineer of Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation, stated that the delays in the project were due to legal proceedings and the acquisition of land from the defence department, resulting in a 24-month extension.
“The bridge will make travel easier for residents and students, reducing the distance to 2.9 kilometers to reach Pimpri-Chinchwad and Pune via Khadki,” he said.
The civilian road through the College of Military Engineering (CME) in Dapodi, used by Bopkhel residents, was closed on May 13, 2015, following an order from the Bombay High Court. After the road was closed the Bopkhel residents has to take a 16 kilometers detour to reach Pimpri.
Siddharth Shirole, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), MLA, Shivajinagar, informed we are in talks with the deputy chief ministers, Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar to finalise the date for the inauguration ceremony of the bridge.
“All work has been completed and the bridge will be opened within a week before the Dusshera festival for the residents. In the past nine years the detour has caused severe inconvenience to residents, students and office goers who had to take longer routes via Bhosari or Vishrantwadi,” he said.