PMC starts dismantling BRTS bus stops, dividers on Pune’s Nagar Road to ease traffic woes

According to PMC, the decision was taken following instructions from Guardian Minister Ajit Pawar last week to remove the BRTS infrastructure installed 10 years ago.

PCMC’s move to a fully digital work environment has eliminated the use of physical files entirely, making it one of the few municipal bodies in India to achieve this scale of integration, the administration said. (File Photo)

Citing public demand, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has once again started removing part of the Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) infrastructure on a three-kilometre stretch on Nagar Road from Somnath Nagar to Kharadi Juna Naka. This is the third time the PMC has started dismantling the unused bus stops in the middle of the roads and dividers under BRTS, which were disrupting the traffic in the area.

“There was public demand and instructions from Guardian Minister Ajit Pawar last week to remove the BRTS infrastructure installed 10 years ago to resolve the traffic issues of Nagar Road. Thus, the work has been taken up to remove it in phases,” said a civic body officer.

BRTS mainly provides dedicated lanes for public transport buses wherein no other vehicles are allowed. The two-way lanes are built in the middle of the road and separated by railings to avoid entry of other vehicles. The bus stops are also in the middle with openings on both sides. There is a public address system and electronic display of information about buses coming to the bus stops.

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Former NCP legislator Sunil Tingre had raised the issue in the State Legislative Assembly during his tenure as legislator.

“The actual removal of BRTS infrastructure on Nagar Road has been taken up due to my continuous demand to improve traffic issues. Now, it will further improve the traffic situation from Somnath Nagar to Kharadi Juna Naka,” said Tingre.

Tingre said that the BRTS infrastructure was lying unused for a long period, creating traffic problems.

Earlier, the BRTS infrastructure from Yerawada to Vimannagar was removed to ease the traffic situation, he added.

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In 2023, the PMC appointed the Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics, Pune, to study the BRTS on Nagar Road in response to demands from residents and politicians, while some politicians challenged its removal. The institute has submitted its report to the PMC recommending the removal of the BRTS infrastructure on the stretch from Parnakuti, Yerwada, to Phoenix Mall and Viman Nagar, as it was lying unused due to the ongoing Metro rail work, leading to frequent accidents.

The PMC launched the BRTS on a 7.5-km stretch of Nagar Road in 2016, but parts of it have been unused for the past three years due to the elevated Metro project, with pillars obstructing the road. The Metro construction has also led to the removal of three of the 10 bus stops on the BRTS lane. The Metro work is now nearing completion.

Earlier, the PMC had removed a short stretch of the BRTS lane on Nagar Road “on a trial basis,” which sparked a face-off between supporters and detractors of the initiative. The BRTS is implemented on Alandi Road, Solapur Road, and Satara Road despite initial opposition.

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