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Journalism of Courage
“Do not play with our patience. You are not going home until tomorrow’s sunrise, unless you level this entire stretch of road,” said Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar, while giving an earful to officials from the PMC, Pune Metro and PMRDA. Kumar’s remarks came during a visit to the Pune University junction, which is facing one of the worst traffic congestions in the city due to ongoing infrastructure projects.
Pune University junction is currently witnessing heavy construction with work on a double-storey flyover and a Metro line underway, which has resulted in shrinking of the carriage width at the junction and also on various connecting roads. The Pune Police Commissioner also issued several directives, including some changes in the traffic flow, to be implemented with immediate effect by the PMC, Pune Metro and PMRDA, as well as the traffic police.
The visit by Kumar came after the Bombay High Court directed the Pune Police Commissioner to submit an affidavit about the present state of traffic in the city along with solutions and measures to solve the traffic issues. The directions were issued during the hearing on a PIL filed in 2015 seeking use of modern technology to tackle traffic problems in the city.
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 every 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 civic authorities concerned, who had promised action. However no significant repairs were conducted recently.
During his visit on Thursday afternoon, the police commissioner told the officials from the PMC, Pune Metro and PMRDA, “We have been telling you since the last 15 days. How much time will you take? I am telling you, hamare patience ke saath khilwad mat karo (do not play with our patience). Those repairs which are possible immediately, have to happen tonight. You are not going home until tomorrow’s sunrise, unless you level this entire stretch of road.”
1) Traffic coming from Aundh and Baner and planning 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.
2) Traffic coming from Shivaji Nagar and wanting to go: A) Towards Range Hills will go straight and take a U-turn from Cosmos Bank again to take a left onto Range Hills Road. B) Traffic towards Pashan to take a left on Pashan Road. C) Traffic towards Baner cannot go straight onto Baner Road and instead shall take a left on Pashan Road and then a right towards Abhimanshree Society Road onto Baner Road. (This change, which was reverted, is being brought back). D) Towards Pune University can only take the Millenium Gate and not the Main Gate.
1) Barricades to be shifted as much as possible creating more carriage width. 2) All the patches of road which are damaged and have potholes and have level deformities will undergo repairs immediately. 3) Traffic police will deploy 50 traffic personnel and 50 wardens in this whole stretch in two shifts to ensure proper traffic management. 4) The petrol pump and CNG station in the vicinity are directed to ensure there is no queuing on the carriageway. 5) All heavy vehicles except school buses and PMPML buses are prohibited in that area. Officials said that a separate notification with respect to banning of heavy vehicles within the core area of Pune City is being issued shortly.
