Pune: Severe Damage to Service Road from Bhujbal Chowk to Bhumkar Chowk in Wakad

Reported By Varad Bhatkhande

Pimpri Chinchwad, 15th July 2024: The residents of Pune District constantly endure dire road conditions. Since the beginning of the rainy season, the situation on multiple roads in the Pune District has worsened. There have been numerous complaints from citizens, particularly about the service roads of the Katraj Dehu Road Bypass Section of the Mumbai-Bengaluru National Highway. The situation is especially bad on the service road from Bhujbal Chowk to Bhumkar Chowk in the Wakad area, where approximately 1.5 km of the road is in terrible condition.

This service road, which connects Pimpri-Chinchwad and the Hinjawadi area to the highway, is in poor condition with many pits and damages. Stagnant rainwater further worsens the situation. Recently, a video has gone viral showing the problems residents face while traveling on this road. Some potholes are so large that vehicles traveling at even slight speeds can easily lose balance if drivers are unaware of them. This situation has angered citizens, who blame the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC), the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA), and the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI).

When contacted, PCMC City Engineer Makarand Nikam clarified that the road falls under the jurisdiction of the NHAI. Nikam said, “The service road in front of Hotel Tip Top International is under the management of the NHAI. We have received numerous complaints about it, and we have repeatedly informed the NHAI, but they are ignoring it.”

One resident of Hinjawadi said, “I’ve had various close calls on this section of the road. At night, when vehicles approach from the opposite direction, visibility is reduced, causing me to lose control of my bike several times. This situation isn’t new. Additionally, there aren’t enough policemen to manage this area, where people drive recklessly.”

Abhijeet Patil, a resident of Wakad, said, “This situation happens every year. There are many pits and potholes on the road here. They do temporary repairs every time, but they only last for one or two rains. Bikes slip, car tires get damaged, and the risk of accidents is higher.”

When contacted about this issue, NHAI Highway Engineer Anant Kulkarni told Punekar News, “There was a drainage problem due to the ongoing Pune Metro work nearby. We have spoken with Pune Metro, and we have started the repair work. The work will be completed within a few days.”