As demand grows to scrap BRTS on Nagar Road, PMC to carry out study

PMC’s Additional Municipal Commissioner Vikas Dhakane said there is a demand from legislators, local leaders of various political parties and citizens’ groups to scrap the BRTS on Nagar Road.

“We can understand their concern on traffic issues on Nagar Road. The PMC will undertake a technical study on the BRTS on Nagar Road by an expert agency. Any decision would be based on the report of the expert agency,” he said.

Dhakane said the traffic police has already said that the BRTS should be opened for private vehicles to ease the traffic situation but the Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Ltd (PMPML), the public bus transport company, has expressed its reservation on allowing private vehicles on the dedicated BRTS lane. “The PMPML uses the BRTS to efficiently operate its services. They are against allowing the BRTS being scrapped or opened for all private vehicles,” he said.

BJP leader and former legislator Bapu Pathare has warned of an agitation if no decision is taken on the BRTS. “The BRTS lane has been closed for implementation of Metro work. In such a situation, the BRTS should be scrapped. Our demand is either to completely scrap it or implement it efficiently,” he said.

Pune BJP legislator Jagdish Mulik too expressed his opposition to continuing with the BRTS. “Most of the buses are running on the lane outside the dedicated BRTS lane, leading to traffic congestion. The traffic situation can be eased if the BRTS is removed and the entire road is opened for all vehicles,” he said.

“The traffic problem on Nagar Road has become a very serious issue. The ongoing Metro work and increased use of private vehicles has put pressure on the road,” said Sunil Tingre, NCP legislator from Vadgaonsheri.

Tingre urged the PMC to open up the BRTS lane for all vehicles. “The Ahmednagar road in Vadgaonsheri is facing serious traffic issues. Work on the Pune Metro is also going on. It is necessary to open the BRTS lane for all vehicles…,” said Tingre, who also raised the issue in the state Legislative Assembly.

The Nagar Road BRTS was inaugurated in 2016. The 14-km-long route up to Wagholi has 13 BRT stations on the segregated 7.86-km section from Yerwada to Aaple Ghar, and 25 bus routes to serve various destinations in the corridor’s vicinity.

These routes service Wadgaon Sheri, Viman Nagar, Khulewadi, Shubham Society, Chandan Nagar, Kharadi etc, providing connectivity to Pune Ma Na Pa, Pune Station, Swargate, Warje Malwadi etc. Five long-distance routes to Sangvi Sandas, Karandigaon/Kendurgaon, Wade Bolhai, Markal and Wadegaon/Kesnand will terminate at the Wagholi Terminal and have connecting routes to these areas. The regular bus services along Nagar Road operate from within the BRTS lane from the day of launch.

The BRTS is available on Satara Road, Solapur Road and Alandi Road while it is proposed on Sinhagad Road, Karve Road, Ganeshkhind Road and old Mumbai-Pune highway.