Ahead of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) elections on January 15, The Free Press Journal is doing ground reporting across all areas of Pune. This time, we went to Katraj, one of the crowded areas in the city. We spoke to residents, who demanded proper roads as fatalities have surged on the Katraj-Mantarwadi Road, removal of encroachments, management of waste, and more.
'Solve the garbage issue'
Sunita Nagar, a resident of Katraj, said, “The garbage processing centre in front of Katraj Dairy has been set up to address solid waste management issues in the area. However, the facility itself has become a nuisance for commuters, residents in the area, and visitors to the Rajiv Gandhi Zoological Park and the dairy outlets. The footpath along the centre has become slippery, on which pedestrians cannot walk. Water released from the rotten waste continuously leaks from the outer wall onto the footpath. Sometimes, the discharge is so high that it flows down to the main road, which irks commuters. We want the facility to be properly operated without causing any trouble to people. Also, we would vote for candidates who can assure us or work mainly to solve the garbage issue in this area.”
'Better infrastructural intervention needed'
“The Datta Nagar Chowk, once a junction, has now become a major source of severe traffic congestion, affecting adjacent key areas including Katraj Chowk, Jambulwadi Talav Chowk, and Rajmata Bhuyari Marg. Our demand from the upcoming corporator is better infrastructural intervention like a subway or an underground road, to ease the situation,” said local shop owner Girdhar More.
Accidents galore
Sharad Katrajkar, who runs an ambulance service in the area, said, “In the past, so many accidents have happened in this area, mainly on the Katraj-Mantarwadi Road. Most fatalities involve two-wheeler riders being run over by heavy trucks or dumpers. Even at the Navale Bridge, many accidents have happened. As citizens, we want the roads to be safe, and this can be done by making roads pothole-free and by imposing strict traffic rules on violators. In these local elections, I feel residents across Pune want the same thing.”
Amita Medkar, another resident of Katraj, said, “Encroachments are a big issue here. Footpaths are encroached upon by fruit sellers and other vendors. Also, there is no parking space, so all the autos and six-seaters wait on both sides of the road, especially at Katraj Chowk, which narrows the road even further and causes heavy traffic jams. Also, the bridge in that area is under construction, which is causing a lot of hindrance for commuters. The construction work at Katraj Chowk looks never-ending, due to which many accidents have taken place.”
The locals also cited that issues like illegal hoardings are very prominent in the area. Illegal hoardings have been installed at various locations such as Santosh Nagar, Katraj-Kondhwa Road, Gokulnagar, and Sukhsagarnagar areas. During election campaigning, politicians go overboard, and one can see the entire city wrapped up in posters and illegal flexes. This not only makes the city look bad, but also poses risks to commuters and passers-by.
