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BUILDING PUNE: PMC takes note of poor rank on TomTom Traffic Index, decides to focus on northern areas to alleviate traffic woes

The northern part of the city, a busy and congested area, connects the city traffic to the Pune airport.

Pune recorded an average travel time of 33 minutes for covering 10 km length. (File Photo)

Taking cognizance of the TomTom Traffic Index report that ranked Pune among the five ‘slowest traffic’ cities in the world along with Kolkata and Bengaluru, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has decided to address the traffic woes of the northern part of the city comprising Nagar Road, Vishrantwadi, Viman Nagar, Airport area, and Wagholi.

“Pune recorded an average travel time of 33 minutes for covering 10 km length. Increased private vehicles and spreading urban areas are some of the triggering factors for the traffic congestion issues observed in the city,” said Yuvraj Deshmukh, in charge of the recently constituted civic Transport Planning department.

The PMC has identified infrastructural requirements to bridge the gap between demand and supply in the northern part of the city, he said, and added, “A mobility plan for Nagar Road and Airport area integration plan will be prepared with the help of traffic simulation by assessing the impact of proposed developments within the area. This will help in understanding traffic conditions in these surroundings and also to assess the feasibility of the proposals.”

The objective is to use state-of-the-art microsimulation tools and innovative mitigations to ease the congestion issues in the northern part of the city – a busy and congested area connecting the city traffic to Pune airport. The roads that would be covered include Nagar Road, Vishrantwadi Road, Ambedkar Path, Airport Road, and New Airport Road. The study will consider road safety, signal design, and smart innovation using technology.

“Traffic has been affecting this stretch for a long time, and the situation has worsened in the last few years due to the development of the area. The current roads are unable to handle the growing number of vehicles, leading to bottlenecks and delays during peak hours,” said another civic officer.

There will be an analysis of proposed infrastructure, like flyovers, underpasses, and grade separators in the area. The area will soon have a ring road and an elevated double-decker bridge of 53 km from Viman Nagar to Shirur, and a traffic management plan for existing and projected scenarios will be prepared, specifying the traffic diversion plans, alternate routes, and analysis of blackspots, among others.

It would also analyse air traveller characteristics and their impact on mobility corridors, the officer said.

Ajay Jadhav

Ajay Jadhav is an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, Pune. With over 22 years of experience in the industry, he is a highly specialized journalist whose work focuses on the intersection of urban infrastructure, governance, and sustainability. Professional Background Role: As Assistant Editor, he plays a key role in the editorial direction of the Pune bureau, specializing in urban policy and its direct impact on citizens. Education: He holds a Master’s degree in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a PG Diploma in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). He also studied at the prestigious Fergusson College. Impactful Reporting: He is credited with research-based articles on conservancy staff (waste workers) that influenced national policy for better working conditions. He is also known for exposing the contrast between high-end infrastructure (like helipads for leaders) and the lack of basic amenities like schools in their home districts. Personal Interests: An avid trekker and sports enthusiast, his personal interest in the outdoors often informs his reporting on environmental protection and sustainable development. Recent Notable Articles (December 2025) His reporting in late 2025 has been dominated by the upcoming January 2026 Civic Polls in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, and the city's infrastructure boom: 1. Political Analysis (Civic Elections 2026) "Not friendly but a bitter fight lies ahead between BJP and NCP for PMC, PCMC" (Dec 22, 2025): A detailed look at the intense rivalry between the Mahayuti partners as they prepare for the January 15 municipal elections. "Pune civic polls: Big blow to NCP, NCP(SP) as leaders switch to BJP" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on high-profile poaching and party-hopping ahead of the elections. "Ajit Pawar's NCP continues domination in Pune, wins 10 of 17 local bodies" (Dec 21, 2025): Analyzing the results of the local self-government body elections as a precursor to the main civic polls. 2. Infrastructure & Urban Development "Looking Ahead at 2026: Pune to see inauguration of much-awaited Hinjewadi to Shivajinagar metro route" (Dec 22, 2025): An "outlook" piece on the critical Metro Line 3 project expected to finish by March 2026. "Building Pune: PMC to construct double-decker bridge over Mula-Mutha River" (Dec 18, 2025): Detailing a major project aimed at easing traffic between Hadapsar and Kharadi. "Condition of highway from Pune to Kolhapur to improve in a year: Gadkari" (Dec 4, 2025): Reporting on the Union Minister’s assurances regarding one of the state's most critical transport corridors. 3. Civic Governance & Environment "Install sensors, LED indicators at construction sites within 15 days: PMC to builders" (Dec 16, 2025): A follow-up to the "Breathless Pune" series, reporting on new mandates for builders to monitor air quality in real-time. "Errors in electoral rolls: PMC corrects data of 92,466 voters" (Dec 16, 2025): Tracking the administrative efforts to clean up the voter lists before the 2026 elections. Signature Style Ajay Jadhav is known for accountability journalism. His work often bridges the gap between high-level policy and the "ground zero" reality of Pune's residents. He is particularly focused on Sustainable Development, ensuring that as Pune grows into a "Bharat Mandapam" style destination (referring to his report on the Lohegaon project), its environmental and social safeguards remain intact. X (Twitter): @ajay_khape ... Read More

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