Pune traffic diversions will affect major roads across the city on Sunday and Monday during Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s two-day visit, with no-parking zones, heavy vehicle restrictions and temporary road closures announced for security reasons.
Deputy Commissioner of Police, Traffic, Dr Sandeep Bhajibhakare, appealed to residents to use alternative routes and cooperate with the traffic police. The scheduled programmes will be held at Bharat Forge in Mundhwa, the Zilla Parishad, Nehru Memorial Hall, JW Marriott Hotel and the Bharat Itihas Sanshodhak Mandal.
No-parking restrictions will remain in force on both days on the route from Technical Airport to Viman Nagar and Ramwadi, and from ABC Chowk to Bharat Forge. Restrictions will also cover North Main Road, Jehangir Chowk, Engineering College Chowk to Bopodi Harris Bridge, and Sancheti Chowk through Ganeshkhind Road to Senapati Bapat Road.
Other roads included in the two-day no-parking zone are Engineering College Chowk, Shahير Amar Shaikh Chowk, the route from the Zilla Parishad to Nehru Memorial Chowk, Jungli Maharaj Road between Lokmanya Tilak Chowk and Tilak Road, and Fergusson College Road. The restrictions will also apply at Shimla Office Chowk, Patil Estate, Sangamwadi, Sadhu Vaswani Chowk, Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Chowk, Golf Club and 509 Chowk up to Technical Airport.
On Monday, additional restrictions will begin at specified times. No-parking rules will start at 9 am on Lokmanya Tilak Road, covering Maharashtra Sahitya Parishad, Badshahi Chowk, Perugate Police Chowky and Bharat Natya Mandir up to the Bharat Itihas Sanshodhak Mandal.
Road closures will begin from 7 am on the stretch between Kirad Chowk and Nehru Memorial Hall Chowk, and between Dorabjee Mall and Blue Nile Chowk. The traffic police have suggested the General Post Office route or Blue Nile Hotel Chowk as an alternative for vehicles affected by the closure between Kirad Chowk and Nehru Memorial Hall Chowk.
Parking arrangements for vehicles accompanying dignitaries have been made at SGS Mall, Poona Club, Ladies Club, the stretch from Kirad Chowk to SBI Lane, and between ISKCON Temple and Blue Nile Chowk. The restrictions are expected to affect traffic movement around Pune’s central areas, airport links, educational institutions and key arterial roads during the visit.
The traffic police have asked motorists not to park on the listed roads and to plan journeys around the notified restrictions. The restrictions will remain applicable during the programme schedule on Sunday and Monday, with commuters directed to follow instructions issued by traffic personnel at affected junctions.
