Traffic system collapses in Pune

Pune: Commuters faced traffic congestion in areas such as Swargate, Kothrud, Sinhagad Road and in suburbs on Wednesday (July 31). This has been happening for the past 3-4 days and people have been getting stuck in snarls.

Many major roads have developed potholes after heavy rains. A major traffic jam was witnessed from Ravet to Chandni Chowk to Kothrud due to an accident in the Warje area. Traffic was moving at a slow pace in Swargate and on Sinhagad Road.

Snarls took place in Yerwada and the airport area in the evening. Two vehicles broke down near Tata Garden in Chandan Nagar. Traffic jams happened on Kesnand Road in Lonikand after a cement mixer tanker broke down while an accident brought traffic to standstill on Satara Road. Roads are pothole-ridden in the Mundhwa-Keshav Nagar area, which has made it tough for commuters to travel on them.

Bhide Bridge and the riverbed road were flooded after water was released from Khadakwasla Dam. Consequently, Jangli Maharaj Road and roads in peth areas witnessed traffic jams. Citizens demanded that the Traffic Police and the civic body should find a solution to this.

Non-functional traffic signals

Traffic signals on major roads in the city have not been working for the past two days, which has impacted traffic. Some roads had half-a-kilometre to one kilometer queues of vehicles, said the Traffic Police.

Reasons behind congestion from Kinara Chowk to Chandni Chowk

Private and transport vehicles are parked on the road in the Vanaz Metro Station area; if two or more buses halt at the Annabhau Sathe bus stop, a vehicle queue is formed immediately; vehicles turning towards DP Road, CNG pump and Vanaz cause snarls; the road gets blocked when there is traffic both ways from Sringeri Math Road to Paud Road.

DCP (Traffic) Rohidas Pawar said, “Many roads have potholes in the city. Traffic slows down due to bad roads. If a vehicle queue is formed on a major road, traffic signals have to be switched off.”

The Traffic Police surveyed potholed roads in the city. They found 554 major potholes at 317 chowks. Commissioner of Police Amitesh Kumar has asked the civic administration to repair these roads. However, filling of potholes is being delayed due to rain, said DCP Pawar.