Pune: Newly Opened Rakshak Chowk Flyover Under Scanner After Back-To-Back Accidents, Residents Demand Answers

Pimpri-Chinchwad: The newly opened Rakshak Chowk flyover on the Aundh–Ravet BRTS route in Pimpri-Chinchwad has come under scrutiny after two accidents were reported within 24 hours of it being opened to traffic.

The flyover, considered crucial for easing congestion on the busy stretch, was opened for vehicular movement on Friday morning even before its formal inauguration was completed. The Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) said the bridge was temporarily opened to provide relief to motorists facing severe traffic jams for several months.

2 Accidents In 24 Hours…

However, concerns regarding the flyover’s design and safety have now intensified following the accidents that occurred on Saturday, a day after its opening.

In one of the incidents, a four-wheeler overturned on the flyover after the driver allegedly lost control of the vehicle. In another accident, a collision between a two-wheeler and a four-wheeler left a motorcyclist minorly injured. No fatalities were reported in either incident.

MP Barne Raises Alarm…

The accidents have triggered criticism from local residents and public representatives, who claim that the flyover has technical flaws. One particular flaw is that the flyover has a steep descending slope that could pose a danger to commuters.

Maval MP Shrirang Barne said he had earlier raised concerns about the bridge during a pre-opening inspection and warned the administration about the possibility of accidents due to the steep gradient.

“I had brought the technical flaws of this bridge to the notice of the administration, but they ignored them. An accident occurred on the very next day after the opening due to this negligence. Fortunately, there was no loss of life. The administration should not play with the lives of citizens. The slope should be corrected before a major accident takes place,” Barne said.

He also warned that if corrective measures are not taken immediately, the flyover could witness serious accidents similar to those reported at Pune’s Navale Bridge in the past.

Locals Flag Concerns…

Apart from safety concerns, local residents have also highlighted infrastructure-related issues surrounding the flyover project. According to residents, drainage chambers were damaged during construction work and may have been filled with soil and gravel. They have demanded immediate cleaning and repairs before the arrival of the monsoon.

Pedestrians are also facing inconvenience as footpaths in certain areas were reportedly removed during construction. Residents have urged the civic administration to restore the sidewalks.

Daily commuters have additionally raised concerns regarding the width and layout of the flyover. One commuter, Subash Rao, told The Free Press Journal that he narrowly escaped an accident while travelling on the bridge.

“The roads leading to the flyover are wide, but the bridge itself becomes narrow, creating a bottleneck. The flyover should have been wider. Even the BRT lane feels cramped, and it appears to be causing vehicles to lose control. The PCMC administration must inspect it properly,” he said.

PCMC Responds...

The municipal corporation has maintained that the flyover was opened temporarily to ensure smoother traffic flow and said the remaining works are still underway. However, demands are now growing for a detailed technical inspection and immediate corrective measures to avoid further accidents.

PCMC Joint City Engineer Prerana Shinkar told The Free Press Journal, “PCMC took note of both accidents. In the first incident, the driver unfortunately suffered a seizure, which caused him to lose control of the vehicle. In the second case, the accident occurred due to a head-on collision in the BRT lane. The vehicles should not have been there.”

“Both accidents were caused by human error and not due to any structural issue. After citizens demanded a safety audit, PCMC conducted one and submitted the report to the authorities. Necessary changes were made based on the recommendations, including the installation of rumblers, declaring the stretch a no-overtaking zone, and imposing a speed limit of 30 km/h on the bridge. After that, only the bridge was opened to the public,” she added.

The Free Press Journal tried to contact PCMC officials, including the civic body’s Chief Engineer Pramod Ombhase, but he was unavailable for response.