A three-hour VIP security and ambulance drill by Pune and Delhi Police in Sadashiv Peth ahead of Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s visit was accompanied by a traffic jam at a nearby chowk, where Pune Mirror reported that no traffic police or wardens were visible to manage the bottleneck.
The drill was conducted on Saturday evening on the narrow road outside the Bharat Itihas Sanshodhak Mandal, where Shah is scheduled to attend a programme on November 16. Senior officers rehearsed security arrangements and the movement of an ambulance along the stretch, according to the report.
At the same time, traffic reportedly built up near Khunya Murlidhar Chowk, a short distance from the venue. The congestion worsened as vehicles entered no-entry lanes near Nagnath Par. Police personnel positioned at barricades in the area did not intervene to stop the movement, the report said.
As vehicles remained stuck, arguments broke out among commuters. Some motorists eventually got out of their vehicles and began clearing the gridlock by hand to allow traffic to move, according to the account.
The incident has raised questions among residents about the deployment of police resources during preparations for high-security visits. The Bharat Itihas Sanshodhak Mandal and surrounding streets are part of Pune’s old city, where narrow roads and existing congestion can quickly amplify the impact of diversions, restrictions and unmanaged traffic flows.
The Pune City Traffic Police had earlier announced parking restrictions, road closures and curbs on heavy vehicles for November 15 and 16 along routes that the minister is expected to use. These measures were intended to support the visit and manage movement around the programme venue.
The reported gap between the security exercise and traffic control highlights the operational challenge of handling VIP movement in dense urban areas. Security drills require coordinated road access, ambulance movement and controlled vehicle flows, while commuters still depend on traffic personnel to keep junctions and restricted lanes moving safely.
The account did not provide details of the number of officers assigned to the drill, the traffic deployment plan at Khunya Murlidhar Chowk or the reason personnel at the Nagnath Par barricades did not intervene. It also did not include a response from the Pune City Traffic Police to the reported congestion.
The announced restrictions and road closures remain in force for November 15 and 16 as preparations continue for Amit Shah’s programme at the Bharat Itihas Sanshodhak Mandal.
