Pedestrians in the lurch as PMC scraps subway plan

PUNE: The civic administration has scrapped the proposal to construct two pedestrian subways at Jedhe Chowk in Swargate on the grounds that the facilities could obstruct work on the Metro line and the station to be developed in the area.
The Pune Municipal Corporation’s (PMC) decision has left the activists fuming even as a senior civic official said measures such as median correction in the area have been taken for better pedestrian control.

“Signals are in phases to facilitate movement of pedestrians at the chowk. Besides, footpaths are present on both sides of the road. The bus depot will be moved elsewhere to make way for the Metro work. Traffic problems because of illegal parking, encroachments and unruly vehicular movement are being managed by police,” city Engineer (projects) Srinivas Bonala said.
Coming down heavily on the PMC’s U-turn on the pedestrian subways, Pedestrians First convener Prashant Inamdar has written to the municipal commissioner demanding construction of the facilities in accordance with the plan.
“PMC has executed a mega project of two flyovers and one grade separator at Jedhe Chowk and Volga Chowk. But two pedestrian subways that were part of the same project plan have not been constructed. The flyover at Jedhe Chowk was commissioned over two years ago, The grade separator was also completed subsequently,” he said.
“PMC has taken care of the vehicular movement by providing an easy path for them across Jedhe Chowk. But the pedestrians have been left in the lurch. It’s difficult for the people to cross the roads or even walk along them at the busy junction,” Inamdar added.
“Officials said construction of the subways will be undertaken alongside the development of the Metro line and the station. The Metro line in the area will be underground. There should have been no cause for conflict with the pedestrian subways. The Metro plan was approved by the PMC general body in January 2010. The plan for the Jedhe Chowk flyover, grade separator and subway was sanctioned two years later,” he said.
Ranjit Gadgil of Parisar said, “The pedestrian subways were planned as a foot overbridge wasn’t possible as per the PMC’s Pedestrian Policy. Now that too has been dropped by PMC. The civic body should have followed the pedestrian policy.”
The Y-shaped flyover and the grade separator have considerably reduced fic congestion in the Swargate area. However, commuters continued to complain about encroachments and people walking throught the junction — one of the busiest areas of Pune.
Jayesh Kale, who frequently travels in Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited buses, said, “Pedestrians in this area are the worst hit — be it in terms of crossing the roads or walking through the encroachments. The footpath from Volga Chowk to Swargate is encroached upon by a dozen vendors. Swargate is a transport hub with local, inter-city and inter-state buses passing through the chowk round the clock.”
Kareena Parmar, a local resident, said, “Driving through the area is a nightmare because motorists have to be always alert with the pedestrians being engaged in jaywalking in the absence of infrastructure for them.”