Wagholi’s Traffic Troubles: Pune Police, PMRDA, and PWD Discuss Solutions in Joint Inspection

Wagholi, 4th September 2024: Officials from Pune Police, Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA), Public Works Department (PWD), Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL), Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), and Shirur MLA Ashok Pawar jointly inspected the traffic problems in Pune’s Wagholi yesterday evening.

They discussed several measures, including the development of a bypass road, the relocation of Kesnand Phata Chowk, and ensuring that private travel buses do not stop on the road. The inspection team included MLA Pawar, Additional Commissioner of Police (East Region) Manoj Patil, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Amol Zende, Police Inspector Pandit Rejitwad, and Assistant Police Inspector Gajanan Jadhav from Lonikand Traffic Division.

A major issue identified was the significant amount of wrong-way traffic from Wagheshwar Mandir Chowk. To address this, the road will be developed by removing the footpath. Discussions also covered relocating Kesnand Phata, removing the footpath along the highway to replace it with a road, and developing the Surbhi Chowk road from Wagheshwar Temple to Lonikand. Additionally, steps to reduce the ascent at the intersection from Theur to Lonikand were discussed. Patil instructed the Lonikand Traffic Branch to prevent private travel buses and dumpers from using the roads in Wagholi.

The highway was inspected from Khandve Nagar to Lonikand. MLA Pawar contacted officials from PMRDA, PMC, and PWD to expedite the necessary work. Despite previous inspections, officials from PMC, PMRDA, and the PWD have only promised action without delivering results, leading to public dissatisfaction.

Additional Commissioner of Police (East Region) Manoj Patil stated, “Approximately one and a half lakh vehicles pass through the Pune-Ahmednagar highway every day. Without bypass roads, vehicles must pass through Wagholi to reach Ahmednagar, which increases traffic stress. The traffic problem needs to be addressed through both small and large measures, including the development of bypass roads.”