The new structure will connect Gharpure Ghat and Ramwadi while running alongside the existing Ramwadi bridge. The current crossing links Panchavati with Ashok Stambh, Meher Point, MG Road, the Central Bus Stand and Gangapur Road, corridors that experience heavy vehicular movement during the day.
A civic official said rising traffic on the existing route had made the additional crossing necessary. The official added that completing the project before the religious gathering would help manage the increased movement of pilgrims and vehicles. About Rs. 150 mn of the project cost has been earmarked for land acquisition.
The civic body has completed the tender process and finalised the contractor, enabling construction to start. The project previously faced an administrative hurdle when the Nashik Trimbakeshwar Kumbh Mela Authority did not approve the initial proposal. After the NMC resubmitted the plan, the authority granted administrative sanction, allowing work to proceed.
The bridge is intended to improve connectivity along the Panchavati-Gharpure Ghat-Ashok Stambh corridor and reduce pressure on the existing Ramwadi crossing. The project forms part of wider bridge works being undertaken before the Kumbh Mela. In September 2025, the authority approved Rs. 628 mn for three bridges and a down-ramp project, including structures near Milind Nagar, the Laxmi Narayan temple and the Waldevi river. The NMC’s stated milestone is to complete the Ramwadi bridge by March 2027 and open it to traffic before the gathering.