Sinhagad Road Residents Raise Concerns About Persistent Traffic on Weekends
Residents along Sinhagad Road are raising concerns about the persistent traffic congestion experienced every Saturday and Sunday evening, particularly at the entrances to Nanded City and Nanded Phata.
These areas, falling under the jurisdiction of both the Pune City Police Commissionerate and the Pune Rural Police limits, face challenges exacerbated by narrow roads. However, the root cause of these traffic snarls is often attributed to the absence of traffic police.
Back-to-back traffic jams at Nanded City’s entrance occurred last week on Friday (May 24th) and Saturday (May 25th) evenings, causing inconvenience to commuters and locals alike. On Saturday at 7:15 p.m., a breakdown exacerbated the congestion, highlighting the urgent need for effective traffic management measures.
Similarly, Nanded Phata, under the jurisdiction of Haveli Police Station of Pune Rural Police, faces similar challenges. Despite attempts to alleviate obstructions, the crucial road widening required to mitigate congestion remains pending. The influx of heavy vehicle traffic, particularly from industrial businesses using large transport vehicles, compounds the issue for residents. While a traffic warden has been appointed, their effectiveness is limited, necessitating
Residents express dissatisfaction, with one saying, “I was stranded for half an hour in traffic congestion at the Nanded City entrance area with no traffic police officers in sight. If traffic signals are not operational, traffic police should regulate flow during peak hours to prevent obstruction.”
A different resident points out problems at Nanded Phata Chow “Frequent roadside parking of rickshaws and vehicles of shoppers exacerbates the problem, despite the presence of rural police wardens. Encroachments onto the road by some drivers further worsen the situation, leaving uncertainty regarding road widening efforts.”
Assistant Police Inspector Rajkumar Barde of the Sinhagad Road Traffic Branch recognizes the challenges, stating, “The Khadakwasla-Sinhagad area experiences heavy tourist influx, particularly towards Pune in the evenings, compounded by Nanded City residents joining the traffic. Measures will be taken to alleviate this issue.”
Concerns have also been raised about non-functional traffic signals, particularly at the Nanded City entrance under the jurisdiction of the Pune City Police Commissionerate. The community wants to know when these traffic lights will be operational again, as they play an important role in managing traffic flow during the busy weekend activity along Sinhagad Road.
