Pune: Ex-Corporator Vasant More Booked for Unauthorised Protest at Katraj Chowk Over Bypass Delay
Katraj, 29th June 2025: The Bharati Vidyapeeth police have registered a case against former Pune Municipal Corporation corporator Vasant More and around 30 of his supporters for staging a protest without official permission at Katraj Chowk on Friday afternoon. The group was demanding immediate action on the long-delayed Katraj-Kondhwa Bypass widening project, which has been pending despite repeated public appeals.
The protest took place between 12:10 PM and 12:40 PM, disrupting a scheduled site visit by Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) officials, who were there to review progress on the project.
Bypass Project Struggles with Delays
The Katraj-Kondhwa Bypass project, which proposes to widen the road to 84 metres and includes a flyover and underpass, aims to ease traffic congestion and reduce accident risks along the busy 4.1 km stretch from Khadi Machine Chowk to Katraj Chowk.
Although the PMC has initiated land acquisition, the process has been hindered by delays, with officials exploring Transferable Development Rights (TDRs) as a solution. Frustration among residents and commuters has been mounting due to the lack of visible progress.
Police: Protest Held Without Clearance
Senior Inspector Rahul Khilare of Bharati Vidyapeeth police station confirmed the registration of an FIR under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Maharashtra Police Act for violating prohibitory orders, forming an unlawful assembly, and organising a protest without police permission.
“During the PMC inspection, a group led by Vasant More gathered and obstructed officials. They insisted their views be included in the project execution, citing local residency. Slogans were also raised against MLC Yogesh Tilekar. Our team intervened to disperse the crowd to avoid any breach of public peace,” Khilare said.
Vasant More Responds to FIR
Speaking to reporters, Vasant More, a leader of Shiv Sena (UBT), called the police action politically motivated.
“Raising concerns about public issues is our constitutional right. The police action is clearly under pressure from political quarters. What’s worse is that names of individuals who were not even present at the protest site have been included in the FIR,” More claimed.
He added that the protest was peaceful and aimed at drawing attention to the critical infrastructural delays that have impacted thousands of commuters and local residents.
Civic Body Reviewing Alternatives
Officials from the PMC said that they are aware of the urgency of the project and are exploring solutions to expedite land acquisition and compensate affected landowners through incentives such as TDR or direct purchase. The civic administration has assured that further stakeholder consultations would be conducted before resuming major construction work.
As the political tensions rise, civic groups and residents are also closely watching how the authorities respond to growing demands for transparency and speed in executing the bypass widening.
The Katraj-Kondhwa Bypass has remained a bottleneck for years due to unregulated construction and traffic volume far beyond its capacity. The expansion project, once completed, is expected to significantly improve traffic flow between southern Pune and the city outskirts.
