“The irrigation department has given its clearance for the riverside road project from Shivne to Kharadi and the now PMC should speed up the work on the project,” State Irrigation Minister Ajit Pawar said. He said the riverside road project will help in resolving the traffic problem of the city to a large extent as the proposed 21.6-km and 30-metre-wide road will run along Mula and Mutha banks and link the Bangalore-Mumbai highway with the Pune-Ahmednagar highway.

The irrigation department’s refusal to give an NoC for the road had ground to a halt the work of Kharadi to Warje despite the PMC approving Rs 105 crore tender for constructing the riverside road stretch of Warje to Mhatre bridge and Sangamwadi to Kharadi stretch.

“The irrigation department will also allots its land on canal sides to PMC for road construction,” Pawar said adding the PMC should prepare a plan for road construction on the canal sides which can be used for light vehicles, but the ownership of land will remain with the irrigation department.

Since, the traffic issue in the city is related to the adjoining area, Pawar asked the PMC and the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation to prepare a comprehensive mobility plan for the entire metropolis.