Traffic hub plan hits private bus hurdle

At Phugewadi,the transport hub was to cater to buses to Shirdi and Nashik,while the octroi posts at Wagholi will be used for buses plying to Ahmednagar,Marathwada and Vidarbha.

The post at Shewalewadi was to be used for buses running to Solapur and Andhra Pradesh.

“The civic body said it will implement octroi posts on highways for setting up transport hubs that can be used by state public and private transport and PMPML. However,the goal to stop vehicles from passing the city can only be achieved if the RTO and traffic police are more proactive,” said additional municipal commissioner Rajendra Jagtap.

Civic administration has proposed a transport hub at vacated plots of civic octroi post because it was not in favour of allowing it to be taken either by the state transport or PMPML,Jagtap said adding,“The

objective can be achieved only if the facility is available for both public and private bus services.”

RTO and traffic police have to put curbs on private and public transport to drop or pick passengers at these transport hubs,Jagtap said.

If private vehicles operating from the city are banned from entering city roads and they fail to comply,the civic body should help in driving them out,he said,“We will have to ban heavy vehicles on certain roads by putting barricades for implementation of BRTS.”

According to traffic police,private bus transport association had been demanding a hub if they have to stop entering city roads but now they are demanding pick-up points as well. “We cannot allow pick-up points in the city considering present traffic situation,” said DCP Vishwas Pandhare.