As Pimpri Chinchwad grapples with traffic snarls, PCMC’s decongestion plan remains a non-starter

For more than a decade now, the Pune-Mumbai highway stretch in PCMC limits has been a nightmare for motorists and two-wheeler riders. The stretch from Vallabhnagar to Dapodi remains worst-affected by traffic jams.

The residents also blame traffic personnel “inept handling” of vehicular movement. The PCMC has been saying that it has a definite plan to decongest the highway and would soon implement it.

Municipal Commissioner Shekhar Singh reiterated that his administration was waiting for Maha Metro to construct a pedestrian overbridge at Nashik Phata.

“Once this is done, we will close down the Nashik Phata signal which is mainly causing the traffic snarl. While the signal will be closed, the U-turn will be available only at Vallabhnagar subway….The Maha Metro is expected to soon start work on it,” he told The Indian Express.

The PCMC chief said his team has inspected the stretch several times and they have made some suggestions to ease the trafffic conditions.

“’In next few days, you will seen the plan being implemented,” he said. “The trafffic cops take action in fits and starts. It is not a continuous activity. And that is why it has emboldened traffic encroachers to keep grabbing the highway stretch daily and create traffic snarl…PCMC has to act decisively,” said activist Pramod Shinde.

Besides the Pune-Mumbai highway, Pimpri-Chinchwad is grappling with severe traffic congestion in other parts of the city too despite having an extensive road network. Key areas like Bhosari, Pimple Saudagar, Hinjewadi, Tathawade, and Ravet-Kiwale frequently experience gridlocks, disrupting daily commutes and economic activities. The city’s limited infrastructure, including only three underpasses on the bypass road, underscores the urgent need for comprehensive and strategic traffic planning, experts and activists said.

PCMC officials said a dedicated traffic planning department was established in 2019 to face the emerging challenges

However, civic sources said its effectiveness remains highly questionable. ”While the department’s officer received a special jumping promotion, tangible improvements in traffic management have been minimal over the past four years,” said an official.

A non-functional department

The Traffic Planning department was intended to proactively design and implement solutions to mitigate congestion before problems escalated.

However, rather than focusing on its core responsibilities, the department has functioned more as a vehicle for administrative promotions, alleged civic sources.

”Despite significant investments in this department, citizens continue to endure daily traffic woes. Instead of addressing Pimpri-Chinchwad’s traffic nightmares, the department appears to have prioritised bureaucratic advancements over real-world solutions,” a civic official said.

Governance issues

This situation highlights broader governance issues, particularly arbitrary promotions and inefficient departmental management.
Several agencies, including the Public Works Department (PWD), National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), and Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), are responsible for road construction and maintenance. Specially trained officers do the planning for them.

But in PCMC, transport engineers are interested in executing the other civil engineering projects than concentrating on planning which is their core competence and for which they have been promoted, civic sources said.

The path forward

To curb inefficiencies and ensure public funds are utilized effectively, activists said the effectiveness of the Traffic Planning department should be publicly evaluated, with clear disclosure of its achievements or shortcomings.

“Officer promotions should be based on expertise and performance, rather than administrative convenience. Coordination between various government agencies responsible for roads, traffic, and urban development must be strengthened to develop holistic solutions,” activist Jayant Kariya said.

“Without a concrete policy to prevent inefficient departmental expansions and arbitrary promotions, Pimpri-Chinchwad will continue to struggle with unplanned urban growth and worsening traffic congestion. The Urban Development Ministry must take decisive action to ensure public funds are spent efficiently and that traffic problems are tackled with sustainable, long-term solutions,” activist Rajendra Verma.