45 Days After ‘Surgical Strike’, Wagholi’s Traffic Woes Persist

A month has passed since the Pune police commissioner Amitesh Kumar initiated a ‘surgical strike' on traffic rule violators in Wagholi. Yet, reckless driving persists, with two-wheelers and SUVs brazenly flouting traffic rules. To make matters worse, heavy vehicles like dumpers and cement mixers freely ply on the roads 24x7, despite a daytime ban, exacerbating the chaos and danger.One of Kumar's key promises, made on Jan 28, was to increase police deployment to address the traffic issues in Wagholi. This promise, however, remains unfulfilled. A visit by the TOI correspondent to the stretch from Kharadi Bypass to Jai Hanumannagar on March 4 showed precious little had changed, contradicted the assurances made by the police, civic officials, MLA Dnyaneshwar Katke and other administration members.Kharadi resident Brijmohan Banerjee said the presence of traffic police was only visible on the day of the police commissioner's visit, and things quickly returned to normal. Furthermore, Banerjee criticised the local legislator for being ineffective, saying, "The MLA was busy attending ribbon-cutting ceremonies."The residents said despite promises, roadside encroachments persist and tourist coaches continue to park overnight, causing traffic disruptions. "Initial improvements were fleeting, with the situation returning to normal within a day, rendering the big assurances ineffective," a resident said.Kumar had embarked on a walkathon from Wagheshwar Chowk to Kesnand Junction, where he witnessed firsthand the appalling state of roads, reckless driving, traffic congestion and haphazardly placed construction material, hindering traffic from Kharadi Bypass to Wagholi and beyond.Concerned by the dire conditions, Kumar and those accompanying him swiftly carried out a detailed inspection of persistent traffic bottlenecks to identify the root causes of congestion and formulate practical solutions for Wagholi's critical traffic issues.Subsequently, he spoke to residents, crusher associations and private bus operators, among others, and informed them that the traffic department, along with PMC and other agencies, would immediately initiate strict enforcement actions against wrong-side driving, triple-seat riding, overloaded autorickshaws, and would remove ‘tapris' and illegal vendors to clear the carriageways.Kumar had also set a Feb 10 deadline to resolve the traffic issues and ensure a pothole-free road from Kharadi to Wagholi, facilitating seamless vehicular movement. However, the area remains beset by inadequate traffic infrastructure, including non-functional traffic signals, lack of blinkers and insufficient speed breakers.A group of senior citizens from Majestic City Society has repeatedly brought these concerns to the attention of the traffic department. RK Sharma, a senior citizen from the society, said, "Nighttime driving has become a task on the roads leading towards Kesnand Phata. We took up the issue with PMC officials, the ward officer and traffic department, but to no avail."The incomplete removal of BRTS right from Vimannagar to Wagholi also adds to the traffic chaos in the area. Civic activist Ramesh Bhavsar said, "At least two fatal accidents related to the BRTS railings occur here every month. In some places, the protruding iron rods pose a major risk to two-wheeler riders. We have been raising these issues, and more, for at least five years, but in vain."Residents of Wagholi have demanded the relocation of at least 15 operational stone crushing units in the area, citing traffic congestion and environmental concerns. The units, primarily owned by locals from Satavnagar to Kesnand, generate significant dust pollution, harming residents and leaving dust trails throughout the area.Sanjeevkumar Patil, director of the Wagholi Housing Societies Association, emphasized the urgent need to relocate the stone crushing plants. "The plants generate massive amounts of dust, posing serious health risks to residents. Additionally, the vehicles transporting materials to and from these plants often travel uncovered, leaving behind trails of dust and exacerbating our troubles," he said.Patil expressed frustration that repeated complaints to the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) and PMC have been ignored.In a related development, the MPCB issued 109 notices between April and Dec last year to various industries, including ready-mix concrete (RMC) plants, stone crusher units, for failing to meet pollution standards.VOICESDespite police efforts, heavy vehicles like dumpers and cement mixers continue to ply in Wagholi, flouting restrictions. The traffic situation remains unresolved, causing ongoing difficulties for residents — Kailash Bawane | Chairman, Green Republic Co-operative Housing Society____________________Wagholi's traffic woes persist, with widespread wrong-side driving, heavy vehicles flouting restrictions, motorcyclists using illegal silencers, insufficient traffic personnel at intersections and luxury buses parked illegally at key junctions — Santosh Krishna | Member of Wagholi Housing Societies Association_____________________There is a traffic crisis in Wagholi and it stems from relying on Nagar highway, with no alternative routes. A futuristic approach is needed to address this growing issue. The existing infrastructure is inadequate and requires more lanes, alternative roads and improved road conditions — Ritesh Malana | Resident of Wagholi______________________The proposal to allocate a dedicated area for private bus stops has been extensively debated, yet remains unresolved. Large vehicles operate continuously throughout the day, while motorists frequently drive on the wrong side without facing any consequences or fines — Gopal Dhole | Director of Wagholi Housing Societies Association________________________We have already told our officers about wrong-side driving offences. They will challan offenders. On the heavy vehicles and private buses issues, we will have a relook at what is happening and also check why things are not on track yet — Amitesh Kumar | Commissioner of Police, Pune_________________________On Feb 13, a special meeting was held in Mumbai with MSRDC chief engineer Ranjit Hande. Efforts are being made to start actual work on the elevated flyover project from Kharadi bypass to Shirur. Proposals have been submitted to state govt regarding land acquisition and fair compensation to farmers. This three-tier flyover will have the first level reserved for heavy vehicles, the second for four-wheelers and the third for Metro. This project is expected to permanently alleviate the growing traffic congestion on the Pune-Nagar highway. There will be exit points for the flyover in Kharadi, Lonikand, Shikrapur, Ranjangaon and Shirur — Dnyaneshwar Katke | MLA