High Court Clears Way for Mumbai-Pune Highway Widening In Khadki Cantonment Area
High Court Clears Way for Mumbai-Pune Highway Widening In Khadki Cantonment Area
In a significant development, the High Court has lifted the stay on the acquisition of a key property fronting the Khadki railway station, thereby removing a major hurdle in the widening of the old Mumbai Pune Highway. The property, which houses the Jaihind Cinema and a hotel, was a contentious point in the road expansion plan being undertaken by the Municipal Corporation.
The Jaihind Cinema, situated opposite the Khadki railway station, is currently on a 99-year lease from the Khadki Cantonment Board. Recently, the cinema space was also utilized to house a hotel, complicating the land acquisition process for the highway project. The Municipal Corporation, which is overseeing the road widening, initiated the acquisition but was soon contested by the hotel operator.
The hotel operator filed a petition in the High Court challenging the compensation amount provided by the Municipal Corporation for the takeover. Initially, the Municipal Corporation had assessed the compensation at Rs. 43 lakh. However, this amount was deemed insufficient by the hotel operator, leading to a legal stay on the land acquisition process.
The case was heard by Justice Nitin Jamdar and M. M. Sathye, who decided in favor of the compensation assessment carried out by the Public Works Department. The court has ordered that the agreed compensation amount be deposited in the court, subsequently lifting the stay previously imposed on the property’s acquisition.
Representing the Municipal Corporation in court was Adv. Chief Legal Adviser Nisha Chavan and Abhijit Kulkarni. Also present were Anirudh Pavaskar, Head of the Road Department, and Deputy Commissioner Mahesh Patil.
This court ruling marks a critical step forward in the highway expansion project, expected to alleviate traffic congestion and improve connectivity between Mumbai and Pune. With the legal obstacles now cleared, the Municipal Corporation is set to proceed with the acquisition and subsequent development of the site.
