Pune’s Hinjawadi IT Park Suffers from Severe Infrastructure Woes Amidst Daily Commuter Chaos

Hinjawadi, 9th September 2024: Rajiv Gandhi Infotech Park in Hinjawadi, one of India’s largest IT hubs, is home to a thriving ecosystem of businesses, residential complexes, and IT companies. However, beneath the surface of its technological advancement lies a chronic issue – crumbling infrastructure. The area’s pothole-ridden roads have turned daily commutes into a nightmare for the thousands of employees and residents who traverse the region.

One such commuter, a seven-month pregnant IT professional, shared her ordeal. “It has become almost impossible to commute with the number of potholes. The jerks and bumps are unbearable, especially during my pregnancy,” she said. “I used to travel by two-wheeler, but the rains have worsened the situation, making that option unsafe. Now, I carpool, but even then, the traffic is so bad that we often have to walk the last few kilometers.”

Traffic in Hinjawadi has become a frustrating and exhausting experience for most commuters, especially during the monsoon. “On a good day, it takes nearly two hours to reach the office, but when it rains, that stretches to three hours,” said a daily commuter. “The roads flood easily, and vehicles are forced to slow down to avoid damage from the potholes, causing massive jams.”

Arvind Jadhav, who recently joined an IT firm in Phase III, shared his experience with public transport. “I live in Chinchwad and have to switch between several modes of transport to reach work. Even then, there’s no guarantee I’ll be on time,” he said. “The situation is worsening, and it’s becoming unbearable.”

The poor road conditions have become so notorious that international clients visiting the IT companies in Hinjawadi often choose to walk rather than wait in traffic jams. “It’s a sad state of affairs when our clients prefer to walk to meetings because they can’t rely on the roads,” remarked an IT professional.

Some stretches, particularly between Quadrant Circle in Phase III and Wipro Circle in Phase II, and another stretch from Padmabhushan Chowk to Wipro Circle, are described as “nightmarish” by commuters. Varun Kulkarni, an IT employee, explained, “During peak hours, you see locals trying to help by directing traffic because there aren’t enough police officers. While their efforts are appreciated, it highlights the larger problem of inadequate infrastructure. It’s disheartening that such a crucial area has been neglected.”

The daily delays also impact work productivity. Many employees find themselves already fatigued before they even reach their office desks. The Hinjawadi Industries Association (HIA) has long raised these concerns in meetings with authorities, demanding a long-term solution to the area’s traffic woes.

Alternative road projects, which could ease congestion, have been stalled for years. The existing roads continue to deteriorate due to waterlogging and the movement of heavy vehicles involved in Metro rail and other construction projects. Clogged drains further aggravate the problem, leading to frequent flooding.

“We’ve repeatedly asked for additional police officers to be deployed at critical junctions, but we’re told there is a shortage. Those officers we do have are often diverted for VIP duties,” said Yogesh Joshi, vice president of HIA. “The HIA has provided 16 traffic wardens to assist the police, but even that isn’t enough to manage the situation.”

The HIA has brought up 27 key issues, primarily related to infrastructure and traffic management, with Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. However, despite his directives to senior officials, there has been minimal progress.

Rinaj Pathan, Chief Engineer of Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA), acknowledged the commuters’ frustrations and said, “We have issued multiple notices to the contractor responsible for road maintenance, but the repairs are often undone by the rains and the constant flow of heavy vehicles. We’ve sent yet another letter, giving them a 15-day deadline to fix the roads.”

The latest PMRDA letter, sent to the CEO of Pune IT City Metro Rail Limited on September 5, described the road conditions between Maan-Hinjawadi and Wakad Chowk as “pathetic” and a “safety hazard.” The letter warned of suspension of work if immediate action was not taken.

Hinjawadi’s traffic police have also been pressing for repairs since May. Inspector Prasad Gokule of the Hinjawadi traffic police reiterated the need for urgent intervention. “The road conditions are forcing traffic to bottleneck in multiple places. Although we have officers and wardens deployed to manage the situation, until the roads are fixed, the problem will persist,” Gokule said.

In addition to infrastructure repairs, Gokule also urged companies to remind their employees to follow traffic rules, as violations such as driving on the wrong side contribute to further delays. “We’ve been issuing fines, but the situation will only improve when both authorities and the public work together,” he added.

As the situation drags on, commuters and businesses alike are left waiting for lasting solutions to alleviate the region’s crumbling infrastructure and restore ease of movement in this critical IT hub.