Pune: Weekly Review Meeting Regarding Traffic Issues In Kothrud From Now On, Chandrakant Patil Directs PMC To Solve Traffic Congestion Problems

Kothrud, 11th September 2024: To address the persistent traffic issues in Kothrud, the local administration has been urged to prioritize and implement quick measures. MLA Chandrakant Patil instructed the administration to introduce WhatsApp numbers to resolve citizen concerns, with the aim of effectively regulating traffic. A meeting chaired by Patil was held to discuss the traffic challenges faced in the area.

The meeting was attended by Pune City Traffic Branch’s Additional Police Commissioner Manoj Patil, Traffic Police DCP Amol Zende, Chief Engineer of the Road Department Aniruddha Pawaskar, Executive Engineer Abhijit Dombey, as well as traffic police officers, social workers, and concerned citizens.

Additional Police Commissioner Manoj Patil outlined several measures to manage traffic, noting that 1.40 lakh vehicles use Kothrud’s main roads daily. He proposed road widening on both sides of Abhinav Chowk at Paud Road and Karve Road, expansion near Anand Nagar Metro Station on Paud Road, and widening the left turn at Karve Statue. Additionally, he suggested either widening the road from Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Chowk (Karve Nagar) to Warje or constructing a flyover at the location, widening the DP road opposite Cummins Gate, and improving traffic flow near Yashwantrao Chavan Auditorium by completing missing links in Kothrud.

Patil also pointed out that many road widening projects require land transfer, requesting assistance from the Pune Municipal Corporation’s (PMC) Police and Road Departments to expedite solutions.

Chandrakant Patil acknowledged the severity of Kothrud’s traffic congestion and proposed a two-pronged approach. First, a detailed study should be conducted on long-term measures, with a report submitted for review. The Chief Minister will then discuss the findings to explore a resolution. Second, the administration should prioritize immediate action on issues that can be quickly addressed.

Patil also advised the administration to establish WhatsApp numbers for citizens to report problems and announced his intention to hold weekly review meetings with the administration to monitor progress on traffic issues in Kothrud.

The discussion further highlighted the need to increase the number of traffic wardens due to manpower shortages in the Traffic Branch. It was suggested that the National Service Scheme (NSS) students be enlisted to raise public awareness about traffic regulations. Additionally, Sandeep Khardekar was appointed as a coordinator to act as a liaison between the administration and citizens in addressing traffic concerns in Kothrud.