6 firms in race for project to upgrade Nashik-Pune h’way

Nashik: Six firms are in the race for the Rs203 crore road development project, aiming to widen and asphalt the 6.4km stretch of the Nashik–Pune highway, from Dwarka Circle to Datta Mandir in Nashik Road.The Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC) organised a pre-bid meeting on Wednesday, where it saw participation from Mumbai and Pune-based companies.The bidders asked whether the four-month monsoon window could be excluded from the construction period, which was of one year.However, NMC officials said the the project must be completed before Kumbh Mela. Bidders also raised several technical and procedural queries, which were addressed by senior NMC engineering staff in the meeting.The project will expand the existing six-lane corridor to a 10-lane stretch to cater to the massive rise in traffic expected during the Kumbh Mela. NMC has already floated the tenders, with April 11 as the last date for submission. The bids are scheduled to be opened on April 13.Four firms from Mumbai and Pune, and one each from Solapur and Nashik, attended Wednesday's meeting.NMC officials said, "We plans to finalise the tendering process and issue the work order to the eligible firm by the third or fourth week of April. The target is to complete the widening by March 2027. This is a crucial deadline since the Kumbh Mela preparations across Nashik have entered a time-sensitive phase."The Dwarka–Nashik Road corridor is among the busiest stretches in Nashik city. The route is used by vehicles heading towards Pune, Shirdi and the Sinnar industrial belt, apart from heavy local movement.Once completed, the upgraded corridor is expected to handle nearly twice the current traffic volume, significantly reducing daily commuting delays. The civic body believes the upgraded corridor will not only meet the demands of the Kumbh Mela but also serve as a long-term improvement for Nashik's growing road network.