India, April 17 -- The Bombay high court (HC) has ordered the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) to expedite the process of land acquisition for the unused Wakad-Balewadi bridge following a public interest litigation (PIL) demanding that the severe traffic woes faced by over 2.5 lakh residents daily be eased. Despite being completed in 2018-19 at a cost of Rs.31 crore, the Wakad-Balewadi bridge remains unused due to pending land acquisition. Acquisition of 200 square metres of private property near the bridge has stalled the project, forcing commuters to take an eight kilometre detour via the national highway, exacerbating traffic congestion and increasing the risk of accidents.

The matter was heard on April 9, 2025 and the order was uploa...