Pune police allow heavy vehicles from Market Yard to move out of city between noon and 4 pm

A 29-year-old woman Deepali Yuvraj Soni, riding pillion on the bike of her father-in-law, was killed, while 61-year-old Jagdish Pannalal Soni, who was riding the two-wheeler, was seriously injured after their vehicle was hit by a truck on the busy Gangadham Chowk in Pune on June 11.
The incident had sparked unrest among the local residents as several mishaps were reported at the spot, located near Market Yard, where many heavy vehicles carrying different goods came on a daily basis.

Amitesh Kumar, Commissioner of Pune City Police, visited the spot on June 12 and assured that steps would be taken for bringing a traffic discipline to Gangadham chowk by banning the heavy vehicles passing through this area during the day time.

Accordingly, the traffic control branch of the Pune City police had issued orders to ban heavy vehicles on different roads – Shatrunjay temple to Gangadham chowk, Tilekar chowk in Kondhwa to the Gangadham chowk, Lulla Nagar to Gangadham chowk to Maharashtra Warehousing Corporation to Seven Loves chowk, from 6 am to 11 pm. However, the heavy vehicles were allowed to use these routes during the night hours from 11 pm to 6 am.

The police said a request was made by APMC, Pune, for opening a route by which several heavy vehicles coming to the Market Yard with agricultural produce and essential goods can move out of the city during the day time.

Accordingly, DCP Jadhav passed an order that , allowed the heavy vehicles from Market Yard to move out the city via Katraj chowk, Pune Satara Road, barring the peak hours from Monday to Friday.
When contacted, DCP Jadhav said heavy vehicles would be allowed to go out of Pune city, but they cannot enter the city via the same route during day time. Also, the heavy vehicles cannot use this road for going out on weekends, he said.

Jadhav also said precautions like deploying more traffic cops and wardens on the route would be taken to prevent road mishaps due to the heavy vehicles. He said as a preventive measure a height barrier was also raised on the road from Aai Mata temple to Gangadham Chowk.

In June last year, a woman riding pillion had died while her daughter-in-law who was riding the two wheeler sustained injuries after being hit by a dumper truck going from Aai Mata temple to Gangadham chowk. Local citizens had then staged a protest at Gangadham chowk demanding action against heavy vehicles.