After hitting several hurdles,resistance from people in particular,the idea to make J M Road one-way will finally turn real in a months time. By then,the Pune Municipal Corporation is expected to complete the necessary work on the road. The traffic police department had earlier announced that J M Road would allow traffic only in one direction from March 5. But it could not be done because of logistical reasons and opposition from several citizens groups. Matters are now being sorted out. Municipal Commissioner Praveensinh Pardeshi on Sunday said that the PMC was interested in implementing the one-way proposal,but it could not be done in a hurry. A number of issues need to be taken care of,and we will do it. A budgetary allocation has to be made,the central divider has to be removed,bus stops have to be shifted. The work has already begun,and we ought to finish it in a month, said Pardeshi. When the proposal was announced,various citizens groups had expressed doubts on its feasibility. Among the chief concerns was how it would affect pedestrian traffic. DCP (Traffic) Manoj Patil said that all the objections had been cleared in several meetings held in March. We have asked for pedestrian crossings at Hotel Shivsagar and Natraj Junction on J M Road. Once the one-way proposal is implemented,vehicles will move non-stop and pedestrians will find it difficult to cross,making it necessary to install signals. The signals need to be timed in such a manner that pedestrians get sufficient time to cross the road, said Prashant Inamdar,representative of Pedestrian First. Other demands from people include pedestrian refuge (traffic islands for pedestrians) in the middle of the road,footpaths,and zebra crossings. Such improvements would have to be made on F C Road as well,Inamdar said. After it becomes a one-way road,J M Road will have four lanes. One lane ought to be earmarked for cycle tracks, said Jugal Rathi,convener,Sajag Nagrik Manch.
