Aam Aadmi Party's Pune unit, in response to residents' complaints about persistent traffic congestion, engaged with the new Deputy Commissioner of Police for Traffic, Shashikant Borate on Saturday.
During the meeting, AAP representatives not only discussed traffic issues but also presented practical solutions.
Emphasising the need for collaborative efforts, AAP proposed measures such as separate lanes for two-wheelers, fines for solo drivers during peak hours, and penalties for those driving on the wrong side.
Sharing the details of the meeting with Borate and others, Chenthil Iyer, vice president of the party, said, “Only recently, an elderly woman lost her life while crossing a road in Bibvewadi. She succumbed to serious injuries after being struck by a speeding bus. This is an unfortunate incident and could have been avoided.”
Iyer explained further, "Given such incidents and the rising number of road traffic accidents, AAP chose to collaborate with the traffic department of the police and public transport authorities. During the meeting, we not only pondered upon the issues but also proposed some viable solutions."
AAP suggests action on violators
"Traffic congestion in the city is often blamed on road widening, urbanization, or various constructions that are taking place right now. However, we also strongly demanded that it is important to focus on penalizing those who drive on the wrong side of the road. Not only do two-wheelers violate traffic rules, but sometimes even four-wheelers choose to do so. There are heavy vehicles too that contribute to obstructions in the middle of busy roads. Recognizing the impact on pedestrians and other commuters, we have now decided to work closely with the traffic department and public transport authorities," Iyer revealed.
“We have now proposed some concrete measures to alleviate traffic congestion,” Iyer said, adding, "We have now demanded that the authorities introduce separate lanes for two-wheelers and auto-rickshaws, considering the busy and congested roads and suggest alternative routes. We have also stressed upon imposing fines on solo drivers during peak hours and enforcing penalties for those driving on the wrong side of the road."
“Traffic jams and its solutions include a collaborative effort. We aim at enhancing road safety, reducing traffic congestion, and making urban commuting more efficient.”
Hence, we urge the residents in the city to extend their support so that we can make commuting easy and reduce the traffic woes further, he concluded saying.
Agricultural College thoroughfare faces criticism
Shivajinagar MLA Siddarth Shirole's initiative to ease traffic congestion on University Road by opening the internal road of the Agricultural College has faced criticism from citizens expressing concerns about potential environmental threats.
Some argue that increased vehicular activity along this route may harm the green cover and pose risks to pedestrians.
Despite these concerns, Shirole assures that the plan will proceed only after thorough coordination with the traffic police department and emphasises close monitoring for both traffic management and environmental sustainability.
In a bid to tackle the persistent issue of traffic congestion along the University road (circle), Shirole took the initiative; that is to open the internal road of the Agricultural College from Mhasoba gate to Sinchan Nagar (Bhosalenagar) from 7 am to 10:30 pm daily.
The proposal, aimed at providing relief to commuters from Deccan and FC Road towards Bhosalenagar, Khadki, Bopodi, and Aundh, recently gained approval from the city's guardian minister and deputy chief minister, Ajit Pawar, alongside other senior officials and administrators like Vikram Kumar, Sourabh Rao and others.
The meeting was conducted last week where Shirole discussed the growing impact of the traffic jam on the citizens and hence chose to come up with this alternative.
He said, “I am confident that this new alternative route will significantly reduce travel time and alleviate congestion around University Circle and adjacent roads."
