PUNE: Fergusson College (FC) Road will wear a new look like Jangli Maharaj (JM) Road since Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has planned its development under the Pune streets programme at a cost of Rs 16 crore.

The standing committee approved the proposal on Thursday. “The nod came after discussions with all the members. The project will provide better facilities for road users and pedestrians,” Yogesh Mulik, chairman of the standing committee, said.

The proposal states that the stretch between Garware Chowk and College of Agriculture will be developed. The stretch is 2.4km long and 24m wide. Development of cycle tracks, paving blocks and building public toilets will be carried out.

The civic body is developing Jangli Maharaj Road on the lines of the Singapore model where pedestrian facilities, recreation and chat corners are being put in place. Funds worth Rs 20 crore are being spent to develop this road.

Civic officials said, planners have drawn inspiration from the 'Orchard Road' of Singapore — a 2.2km boulevard developed as a retail and entertainment hub.

The civic body has planned to convert all arterial roads based on this model. Freshly manicured flowerbeds, a dedicated cycle track and better lighting along the road are part of the civic body's larger plan to make the one-way stretch friendlier for pedestrians and the physically challenged.

The urban street design guidelines that the civic body is following pushes for various elements that go into designing streets making them universally accessible. It also provides standard templates for different sizes and uses of streets.

This document is a ready reckoner for PMC’s engineers and planners for designing and executing streets to meet local needs, avoiding a one-size-fits-all approach.

The guidelines outline appropriate street types and street design elements to create better streets to support transportation objectives for the city.

The big picture is to make the road safe for all users by designating spaces for all the stakeholders — hawkers, pedestrians, non-motorized transport, public transport and private vehicles.

