2-way traffic back on Harris Bridge to Khadki Bazaar road

PUNE: A stretch of Elphinstone Road from Harris Bridge in Bopodi on the old Pune-Mumbai Road to Khadki Bazaar-Mula Road is set to open for two-way traffic. Two- and three-wheelers will be allowed to use the road to start with.

The decision is expected to bring some relief to commuters. A one-way was in place for three years allowing traffic to flow from Harris Bridge towards Khadki Bazaar to assist Metro works.

A joint meeting on Wednesday with the city traffic police, Pune Municipal Corporation officials and MLA Siddharth Shirole attending it decided to allow two-way traffic on the stretch for smaller vehicles for seven days, and subsequently for cars and bigger vehicles once the routine is established.

Shirole said that the changes will help streamline traffic. "The Metro team has been told to rearrange the barricading at Bopodi Chowk near Harris Bridge and at other locations to avoid any obstruction to the vehicular flow. Traffic from both sides will begin after the barricades are rearranged," he added.

Commuters have been demanding two-way traffic on the Khadki Bazaar stretch for a long time. Ajay Kamte, who works at a shop in Khadki Bazaar area, said that those who want to travel towards Bopodi take a longer route because of the one-way traffic arrangements.

Local vendor Vijay Kamble said that one-way traffic regulations in Khadki area were supposed to get over within a year after the Metro construction began, but the restrictions continued even after the Covid-19 pandemic.

"Now, the administration has started widening the old highway that goes towards Harris Bridge from Khadki. These works should get over at the earliest and the traffic police and the civic body must restore two-way traffic on both road stretches," Kamble said.

Earlier reports had said that work near Khadki railway station for the Metro was way behind schedule since there was a delay in acquiring defence land. This land was given to Pune Municipal Corporation.

Last November, Maha Metro officials had said that the old Pune-Mumbai highway could be opened for regular traffic since all their groundwork was complete.

PMC planned to widen the road here to 42m to address tra ffic movement and construct a Bus Rapid Transit System lane from Harris Bridge to Patil Estate.


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