Pune : Maha Metro Finalises Plans to Resettle 152 Mandai Vendors in the Metro Station Area After Underpass Completion

Pune:
In a significant relief to traders and vendors of the Mahatma Phule Mandai area who were earlier displaced during the construction of Maha Metro’s Mahatma Phule Mandai station, the Maha Metro has decided to resettle them to their original location in the coming days. In this regard, the Maha Metro has informed that the work on the pedestrian underpass from Mandai Metro station to Kaka Halwai is in its final stages, and after the completion of the underpass, traders will soon be resettled to their original location.

There are five stations, such as Shivajinagar, District Court, Kasba Peth, Mahatma Phule Mandai, and Swargate, in the underpass metro route between Shivajinagar and Swargate on the Pune Metro’s Pimpri Chinchwad to Swargate Metro line. Out of these five stations, the work on Kasba Peth and Mahatma Phule Mandai metro stations was the most challenging, as the area of ​​both these stations is central and has old houses and dense market areas. Therefore, special care was taken by Maha Metro while drilling in the underpass. There are old houses near Kasba station, while there are traders in the area of ​​Mandai station.

While working in the area of ​​Mandai Metro Station, 152 small traders had been temporarily resettled by Maha Metro. This included traders like grocery, cutlery, and paan shops. Few of these traders had been temporarily resettled at the Hutatma Babu Genu parking lot while some were shifted behind the Kaka Halwai shop.

After the construction of these metro stations, the Pimpri Chinchwad to Swargate metro line was started a few months ago, and all the stations on this route have also become operationalized. However, the work on the underpasses leading to these stations for passengers is still in progress. The work on the pedestrian underpass from the road in front of the Tilak Statue in Mandai to the road in front of Tulshibaug is also in progress.

It is learnt that this work on these underpasses will be completed in the next eight to nine months, and after that, work will also be taken up immediately for the 152 vendors who were earlier shifted from their original location.

While giving information about it, Hemant Sonawane, Director and Public Relations Officer of Maha Metro, said, “The work of the underpass leading to Mandai Metro Station will be completed in the next seven to eight months. The Municipal Corporation has temporarily relocated the vendors who were moved for the construction of the station work. The Municipal Corporation has all the information about the actual numbers of vendors. According to the list provided by the Municipal Corporation, these vendors will be shifted to their original place. For this, the work of constructing shops for these traders will be undertaken soon.”

Sunil Ballal, Deputy Commissioner of Pune Municipal Corporation, Mandai Division, said, “Around 152 small traders have been temporarily resettled for the work of Mandai Metro Station. After the work of the metro station is completed, these traders will be permanently resettled at their previous location. Maha Metro will construct shops for these traders. Recently, Maha Metro has submitted the maps for this work and has sought the opinion of the Municipal Corporation. The Municipal Corporation is trying to get this work done as soon as possible.”