Punes Hinjewadi IT Park Approach Roads Face Severe Pothole Crisis
Pune Commuters to and from Hinjewadi, a prominent IT hub, are grappling with a severe civic crisis as key approach roads are plagued by debilitating potholes and persistent traffic congestion. Motorists face a difficult choice: either navigate heavily choked routes like the Pune-Mumbai Expressway service road or contend with the perilous conditions of alternatives such as the Balewadi-Nande road. This latter route, crucial for connectivity, remains in a deplorable state, characterized by dust clouds from ongoing construction and heavy vehicle movement, or significant waterlogging due to widespread potholes, especially after even light rainfall.
Residents and IT professionals regularly using the Balewadi-Nande stretch report frequent damage to their vehicle tires and suspension systems, leading to increased maintenance costs. Despite recurring repairs, the poor quality of work means potholes reappear after just a couple of rain spells, making daily commuting an arduous and risky task. Concerns are also mounting over safety, particularly for pedestrians due to the absence of footpaths, forcing them to walk directly on the road amidst heavy traffic and hidden potholes, a situation compounded by non-functional streetlights at night.
The prolonged issues are attributed to a combination of factors, including incomplete land acquisition that limits road width in some sections, leading to bottlenecks and extensive traffic snarls where covering even five kilometers can take an hour. Citizen complaints to both Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and Maharashtra Industries Development Corporation (MIDC) have reportedly yielded no consistent results. While officials from MIDC have acknowledged the issues and initiated some repair work, and Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) confirms ongoing land acquisition, residents demand more decisive, long-term solutions and greater accountability.
This persistent neglect of vital approach roads to a major economic hub poses significant safety risks and hinders daily commutes for thousands. Urgent, coordinated action from all civic bodies is imperative to ensure these critical arteries are not only repaired but also properly maintained, supporting both economic productivity and citizen welfare in Pune.
