The Pune metropolitan region’s first double-decker flyover was inaugurated by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar at Nashik Phata in Pimpri on Saturday Feb 15 2014. The Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) began work on the flyover – named Bharatratna J R D Tata flyover – in July 2010.
The upper flyover, which will have one-way traffic, will enable motorists travelling from Pune towards Nashik (or Bhosari) to proceed directly without stopping at the junction. The lower flyover connects Bhosari with Sangvi, Pimple Saudagar, Pimple Gurav and Wakad. With two-way traffic, it crosses the Mumbai-Pune highway stretch, the Pune-Mumbai railway line and the Pavana River. It will help motorists travelling from Nashik (or Bhosari) to Sangvi, Wakad and other destinations, including the Dehu Road-Katraj bypass.
The undersigned had appealed to the authorities to name this strategically located flyover after JRD Tata. Pl refer his letter given below.
TRIBUTE TO THE VISIONARY BHARAT RATNA JRD TATA
This Flyover acts as a Bridge between the two twin cities of Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, in addition to linking Mumbai to Pune, Mumbai to Nasik, Pune to Nasik and importantly, Mumbai to IT Park. Being a high-traffic density zone on the NH4 (around 50% of the traffic comprises heavy and light vehicles passing over the Flyover to and from Mumbai, Pune, Nasik and IT Park), the earlier bottlenecks due to halting of dense traffic for long time intervals at the signals have been eliminated. Quick travel time has resulted in time saving, fuel and cost saving to the citizens and thus to the National Exchequer. Decibel levels have reduced significantly due to smooth flowing traffic, thus decreasing sound pollution. Air pollution levels have also diminished considerably.
Lakhs of workers from Pune and an equal number from Pimpri-Chinchwad cross this Flyover everyday for work. Apart from the time saved, the reduced fatigue in travelling long distances from their residences to their factories/offices has led to the workers reaching their place of work fresh, resulting in more efficient working, increased productivity and better health of the workers.
The Flyover is thus a real boon to the citizens of Pimpri-Chinchwad and Pune and the twin cities have come closer. With enhanced proximity, response time is also expected to be shorter, leading to further economic boom in the area.
This has been made possible largely due to the giant contribution of the Tata Group (Jamsetji Tata in the 19th changing the face of industrial India). JRD Tata, who had an Extraordinary Vision, identified the latent force of Pune as a Powerhouse of Brain Power in the early 1960s. He nurtured a Vision to harness the tremendous Potential of the Educated Youth and Intellectuals in Pune (traditionally the Seat of Education and the Oxford of the Orient) and was aware of the significant impact that Pune and Punekars could make in engineering and other industries.
When India was trying to shift gears from the agriculture-dominated developing economy towards becoming an industrially developed nation, JRD Tata established TELCO (now called Tata Motors) – (earlier set up in 1945 only in Jamshedpur) – in Pune in 1967. Since then till date, his efforts over the next decades have directly led to generation of direct employment for several thousands; and indirectly to lakhs of people who depend on the Tata Group as workers in ancillary units, thus contributing to the Welfare of the Nation through Creation of Wealth.
It has enabled millions to gain access to a better Standard of Living and to Good Education. JRD Tata supported TELCO Top Management’s plans in making a singular contribution to the environment by blasting the rocky terrain and planting thousands of trees. As trees need water, an artificial lake was constructed for water storage. For decades the TELCO Nursery has supplied thousands of fruit trees to neighbouring villages, bringing greenery and light to the infertile villages around.
Over the years, PCMC has had all-round progress in the industrial and health care sectors, infrastructure, social and economic upliftment of the people, more avenues for technical, medical and other professional educational facilities, thus creating a new middle class and an upper middle class; the bulk of the credit going to JRD Tata who was Chairman of the Tata Group – the largest industrial conglomerate of industries of India – from 1938 to 1991. JRD Tata’s latent genius for man management came to the forefront when he settled into his role as Chairman. JRD Tata had the noble, unselfish thought that what is good for India is good for century and JRD Tata from the late 1920’s had largely been instrumental in JRD Tata received the Padma Vibhushan Award in 1955. The nation’s highest award – the Bharat Ratna – was conferred on him in 1992.
This was the message of one of his former companies in appreciation:
He touched the sky and it smiled.
He stretched out his arms and they encircled the globe.
His vision made giants of men and organizations.
What could be a better tribute to JRD Tata than naming the Nasik Phata Flyover after him? With several Tata group organizations, including the flagship and truly global Tata Motors Ltd. based in Pimpri-Chinchwad, it will be a fitting recognition of JRD Tata’s yeoman services to the Nation for the cause of industry and development. It will also be an honour for the cultural capital of Maharashtra and the industrial, automotive and fast growing IT and BT hub, and for the Citizens of the Twin Cities of Pimpri-Chinchwad and Pune.
Connecting Indians
B.E. Mech. (COEP); P.G.D. – International Trade (IIFT, New Delhi)
Special Correspondent – Dwarka Parichay (Western India)
Alumnus – Loyola High School, Pune (India)
Counselor for Statement of Purpose (SOP) & International Scholarship Essays
Email: anup.attavar@gmail.com
