Panvel Roads To Be Restructured: Land Acquisition Begins For Expansion; Traffic Relief On These Roads

Panvel Municipal Corporation (PMC) has decided to widen three major roads in the city at an estimated cost of Rs 20 crore, according to a Hindustan Times (HT) report. A notification for land acquisition has been issued, and work will begin once the process is completed.

The roads to be widened are Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak Marg, Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Marg, and Ram Ganesh Gadkari Marg. Certain sections of these roads are currently too narrow, causing frequent traffic congestion. After the widening, each road will be 30 feet wide.

• Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak Marg: Jai Bharat Naka-Annapurna to Swatantryaveer Savarkar Chowk.
• Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Marg: Jai Bharat Naka-Virupaksha Mandir to Swatantryaveer Savarkar Chowk.
• Ram Ganesh Gadkari Marg: Adarsh Hotel to Swatantryaveer Savarkar Chowk.

Since the project requires land that belongs to some property owners, PMC sent a proposal to the sub-division office, which issued a notification on Wednesday. Property owners affected by the project will receive compensation under the Land Acquisition Act, 2013.

According to a PMC official, around 5,430 square metres of land will be required for the widening. Some houses and buildings along these roads will need to be moved a few metres to make space. "The land acquisition process is expected to take a few months, after which the road widening work will begin immediately. PMC has allocated ₹20 crore for the project," the official said.

In recent months, PMC has removed several illegal structures to improve traffic movement in the city, which has 10 major roads. With a rising number of vehicles, traffic congestion has become a common problem, particularly during festivals.

To ensure smoother travel, municipal commissioner Mangesh Chitale has directed the town planning department to widen key roads. The project aligns with the revised draft development plan, which aims to improve infrastructure in the city.