At SPPU junction, police put on hold traffic diversion for Aundh-bound vehicles

With the existing circular traffic route for Baner bound vehicles, the latest diversion for Aundh-bound vehicles had significantly increased traffic on the road intersecting Abhimanshree Society.

This prompted local residents to demand suspension of the latest change.

The notification on the rollback said that because of the frequent movement of VIP and VVIP convoys in the area, and also considering the situation in Chatushrungi, Khadki and Shivajinagar traffic divisions, the traffic diversion for Aundh-bound vehicles had been put on hold. Officials said a decision on the diversion will be taken at a later stage.

Over the last one year, Pune police has implemented a circular one way from University Square, Pashan Road, Pune Rural SP Office, Abhimanshree Pashan Chowk, Abhimanshree Baner Chowk, Baner Road, Sakal Nagar and again back to University Square.

This circular traffic flow will remain in force till work on Pune Metro and flyover at Pune University Square is going on.

The old flyovers —  one at the Pune University junction and one in front of E-Square theater — were demolished by Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority in 2020 after it was jointly decided by the PMRDA and PMC to construct a two-storey flyover, with the top floor for an elevated Metro rail corridor to connect Hinjewadi to Shivajinagar, and the first floor for vehicular traffic.

The Pune University junction — which sees traffic flowing to and from Pashan, Baner, Aundh and the combined traffic of Ganesh Khind Road and Senapati Bapat Road — is one the busiest traffic junctions in the city.

As preparations for the next phase of Pune Metro have started, the traffic in this cluster has seen some of the worst traffic jams in recent history over the last one week, according to officials. These traffic jams forced all stakeholder agencies to swing into action, hold back-to-back meetings and field visits on February 2 and 3, and put in place more traffic diversions in addition to the already existing circular one-way traffic implemented since last one year.