New traffic changes announced at Pune University Chowk

The Pune University junction sees traffic flowing to and from Pashan, Baner, Aundh and the combined traffic of Ganeshkhind Road and Senapati Bapat Road, making it the busiest traffic junction in the city.

To battle the massive traffic jams at the Pune University Chowk, starting Monday, the Pune police are implementing several measures to provide relief to commuters, including a complete ban on very heavy vehicles, line containers and trailers, additional road diversions and creation of a buffer road. This is the fourth set of major traffic flow changes that are being implemented by the police since the construction of a double storey flyover began in late 2022.

Pune University junction is currently witnessing heavy construction activity towards the work on the double storey flyover which also includes a metro line, resulting in shrinking of the carriage width at the junction and also on various connecting roads. Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar who on February 29 visited the Chowk had reprimanded officials from PMC, Pune Metro and PMRDA and had given them the deadline of one day to complete the work on levelling of several patches of the road converging at the junction.

The Pune University junction sees traffic flowing to and from Pashan, Baner, Aundh and the combined traffic of Ganeshkhind Road and Senapati Bapat Road, making it the busiest traffic junction in the city. According to a primary estimate of the traffic police, anywhere from 3 lakh to 3.5 lakh vehicles pass through this junction on an average day.

Police officials said that because of the construction activity, the condition of the roads approaching the junction has worsened to the extent that it has heavily affected the flow of the traffic. Police had sought repairs of these roads and footpaths from the concerned civic authorities who had promised action. However no significant repairs were conducted recently.

Complete ban on very heavy vehicles

From Monday onward, the Pune police have imposed a complete 24 hour ban on the passing of the very heavy vehicles including trailers, containers and multi axle vehicles. The ban on very heavy vehicles will also apply to Pashan Road (from Abhimanshree Society to Pune University Chowk), Baner Road (from Abhimanshree Society to Pune University Chowk), Aundh Road (from Bremen Chown to Pune University Chowk) and Ganesh Khind Road (from Chaphekar Chowk to Pune University Chowk).

For the three wheeler pick-ups, pick-up trucks, goods-carrying tempos and slow moving heavy vehicles like road rollers, earthmovers, concrete mixers: The above patches will be closed for two windows during the day. 8 am to 12 pm and 4 pm to 10 pm.

Starting Monday, the police are implementing following additional changes in the traffic flow:
* Traffic coming from Aundh and Baner, wanting to go towards Senapati Bapat Road will not take a right turn and instead go straight from University Chowk and take a U-turn from Cosmos Bank and then a left to Senapati Bapat Road.
*Vehicles coming from Shivaji Nagar wanting to go to Range Hill will take U Turn at Cosmos Bank and then take left on the Range Hills Corner.
*A buffer road has been earmarked on the Baner Road road from University Chowk till the Petrol Pump. From 7 am to 12 pm, the road will have traffic flow towards the University Chowk. From 12 pm till 7 am, the flow will be towards Baner.
*Between 7 am till 12 pm, the vehicles bound for Baner will take Pashan road till Abhimanshree Society and then take a right for Baner.

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