Pune Traffic Police have withdrawn the weekend exemption for heavy vehicles on Shivaji Road and Bajirao Road from October 25 until Diwali concludes, citing increased shopping crowds, traffic congestion and pedestrian safety in the central-city market areas.
The restriction will apply every Saturday and Sunday during the specified period, according to an order issued by Dr Sandeep Bhajibhakre, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic), Pune. Heavy vehicles will not be permitted to use the two roads on weekends while the temporary arrangement remains in force.
The affected roads connect areas close to several major traditional shopping destinations, including Laxmi Road, Kumthekar Road, Kelkar Road and Tulshibaug. Traffic police said these markets are expected to see a rise in pedestrian movement as residents visit for Diwali shopping, increasing the possibility of congestion and conflicts between vehicles and people walking through the area.
The order reverses the permission previously available to heavy vehicles on Shivaji Road and Bajirao Road on Saturdays and Sundays. Traffic police said the decision is intended to keep vehicle movement orderly near crowded markets and reduce the risk faced by pedestrians during the festival shopping period.
Bhajibhakre said the weekend permission for heavy vehicles had been withdrawn from October 25 until Diwali ends. He said the two roads are important routes in central Pune and that the number of people visiting the area for shopping is expected to increase during the festive period.
The restrictions have been imposed under provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act and a notification issued by the Maharashtra government’s Home Department on September 27, 1996. The traffic police have clarified that the weekend exemption will not remain available on Shivaji Road and Bajirao Road until the Diwali festival concludes.
The order forms part of the traffic management arrangements for Pune’s traditional markets during the festival season. While it directly changes the movement of heavy vehicles, its stated purpose is to manage the interaction between freight traffic, other vehicles and pedestrians on roads serving some of the city’s busiest shopping areas.
Traffic Police have not specified in the report whether separate diversion routes or revised delivery timings will apply to vehicles affected by the restriction. The weekend ban will continue until the end of Diwali, as stated in the order.
