Pune: Under fire from furious citizens and activists, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has quietly reinstalled the SM Ghule traffic circle in NIBM Annexe, but this time only on a "trial basis," after its earlier oversized version was torn down by the PMC and the private road contractor amid allegations of illegality and recklessness.
The new circle, placed on Tuesday, September 2, comes just weeks after the civic body was slammed for installing a massive, unauthorised structure in the same spot without approvals, without a traffic study, and without even informing the police.
On August 14, social activists Jaymala Dhankikar and Ashok Mehendale blew the lid off the illegal installation, calling it out for violating Indian Road Congress (IRC) safety norms and bypassing the traffic police entirely.
Residents went into overdrive, demanding nothing less than a criminal FIR against PMC officials. The backlash was so intense that PMC was forced to backtrack and remove the giant circle almost overnight.
“It was dangerous, illegal, and badly planned. They acted like the road was their personal property,” said activist Jaymala Dhankikar.
Now, the PMC says this new circle is “only temporary,” with a 3-month trial period. They claim they’ve written to the traffic police for a proper survey and sizing, but no public notice was issued, no citizen feedback was sought, and no transparency was maintained.
“We were never told this was coming back,” said Anjali Karnik, a local resident. “It’s the same backdoor approach again!”
As if that wasn’t enough, the area around the newly placed circle is already being choked by hawkers, political banners, and makeshift stalls. Citizens say goons backed by political leaders are trying to take over the chowk.
“It’s become a circus. This is supposed to be a traffic circle, not a political rally zone,” said Raj Singh, a long-time resident. “We need proper safety, legal norms, and a clean-up, not a sideshow.”
Advocate Aniruddha Joshi, who’s representing residents, said, “If PMC doesn’t complete the legal formalities, we’ll take them to court. The circle must meet IRC standards, including the banking angle and visibility norms. Right now, it’s a mess. Worse, we’ve already informed the police about anti-social elements trying to hijack the chowk. It’s a ticking time bomb.”
Following are the demands:
- Immediate removal of encroachments, strict adherence to road safety norms,
- Public consultation before final approval.
- No more backdoor politics and hush-hush decisions.
The SM Ghule Circle isn’t just a traffic issue; it’s a symbol of the battle for accountability, safety, and transparency in Pune’s fast-changing suburbs.
As the clock ticks on PMC’s 3-month trial, residents say they’re watching and ready to fight, all the way to court if they have to.
