From Dhayri to Kondhwa, traffic woes continue to plague Pune’s residents as congestion on key roads has become a daily struggle. Despite repeated complaints from residents to the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and traffic authorities, effective solutions remain elusive. While residents feel the civic body is ignoring the issue, a group of citizens has managed to make progress in their fight against traffic problems.
Residents of the Dhayri area have raised concerns about ongoing traffic congestion for years, but no action has been taken. The city’s expansion and growing population have led to inadequate roads in many areas. Despite following up with the municipal administration and state government, the issue has remained unresolved. Frustrated, the residents decided to bring the matter to the attention of President Draupadi Murmu. They sent a letter explaining the problem, and in response, the President instructed the Chief Secretary of the state to look into the issue.
This is not the first time when Murmu got involved in the traffic woes of Pune. Earlier this year, she had written to Pune Police about the potholes in the city ahead of visit by Prime Minister Narendra Modi followed by her visit.
Meanwhile, the Free Press Journal tried to speak to residents from various areas of Pune, regarding the traffic woes to understand the issue.
We failed terribly to make ‘disciplined driving ‘ cool in India.
More the indiscipline more the flex…
Add to that fistful of ignorance.
Many are not aware If car is standstil hazard light must be ON.
Merging in traffic with indicators.
— आस्वाद (@AswadPune) December 16, 2024
Spent 2 hours 15 minutes in #Pune traffic yesterday between Ravet and Kharadi. At this pace, I would have reached faster on foot and probably gotten a few extra steps in too! #PuneTraffic
— Abhishek (@AjaneAbhishek) December 16, 2024
Residents speak up
Atul Jain, a resident of Kondhwa, highlighted, “We have given multiple complaints to the police and PMC officials regarding the traffic situation at Gangadham Chowk and Upper Bibwewadi. Despite this, no particular solution has been implemented. Common citizens are forced to suffer despite paying huge taxes.”
Nawab Shah, a resident of Sinhagad Road, added, “Due to the construction of a flyover, the actual road size has decreased. Additionally, the diversion of vehicles from Katraj Road has led to more traffic congestion.”
Tajas Salunke, a resident of SB Road, expressed, “During peak hours, University Chowk becomes a bottleneck as commuters from adjacent roads get stuck at one place. Moreover, traveling near Shri Chatushrungi Devi Temple in the evening is a nightmare. The absence of enough traffic staff is a major issue. Additionally, the frequent diversions confuse people about the best routes to take.”
Nilanjan Das, a resident of Viman Nagar, spoke to the Free Press Journal, saying, “As a resident of Viman Nagar, traffic congestion in this area has become an unavoidable nightmare, disrupting schedules and draining patience. Despite being a key locality with a vibrant community and bustling businesses, the lack of an effective traffic management system is glaring.”
He further added, “Every day feels like a battle to reach my destination at Kharadi on time. Commuting from Ramwadi Metro Station to Phoenix Mall sometimes takes an hour or more, leaving us with no choice. The most frustrating part is the absence of consistent measures to tackle this issue. Where are the traffic wardens during peak hours? Why aren’t alternative routes being explored or implemented?”
Cops cite manpower issue
Sunil Gavli, Senior Police Inspector, speaking to Free Press Journal, said, “Due to flyover construction, the traffic from Katraj Road has been diverted to Sinhagad Road, causing more vehicles to pile up on this particular road. Currently, 1,000 traffic police personnel have been deployed across the city to manage traffic.”
Manoj Patil, Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic), told the Free Press Journal, “We are planning route diversions on a few roads over the next 6-7 days, with a focus on Nagar Road and Solapur Road. We have identified bottlenecks and black spots on these roads, and we are working on improving them. The shortage of traffic police personnel is a major concern in Pune, but we are trying to manage with the help of wardens from local establishments, particularly on Nagar Road. We will be using low-cost traffic management techniques at known traffic hotspots.”
