The demolition of the two-lane Sadhu Vaswani rail overbridge in Pune has led to significant traffic congestion, particularly impacting the surrounding areas on Monday.
The closure has caused vehicles to clog Mangaldas Road and nearby routes leading to Yerawada and Koregaon Park, resulting in major traffic snarls. Traffic police have initiated experimental diversions since May 25, in preparation for the bridge’s demolition and the construction of a new one. However, these preliminary measures have proven insufficient in managing the increased traffic volume.
A senior officer from the Pune city traffic police highlighted the unexpected intensity of the congestion, noting that while the weekend saw manageable traffic levels, Monday’s rush hour painted a different picture. “There were no reports of traffic congestion over the weekend, but our personnel reported heavy jams on Monday — as it is the first day of the week, many people were headed to their offices. We will make some changes in the diversion plan after assessing the current situation,” he stated.
Commuters have expressed their frustration with the current situation. A bank employee, who regularly commutes from Wadgaon Sheri to Deccan, described the unprecedented chaos. “I travel from Wadgaon Sheri to Deccan daily on this route and have never witnessed this much chaos in the past. It took me over an hour to cross less than two kilometres and I reached office very late,” he lamented. Similarly, a resident of Koregaon Park, enroute to visit a relative in a private hospital, underscored the urgency of revising the traffic plan. “The police must make changes in the diversion plan as these routes also lead to several medical facilities. It will be terrible if ambulances get trapped in these snarls,” she stressed, highlighting the potential risks for emergency medical services. The traffic police are currently evaluating the situation and intend to modify the diversion strategy to alleviate the congestion. The implementation of an effective traffic management plan is crucial, particularly in ensuring that routes to essential services such as hospitals remain accessible.
The disruption caused by the Sadhu Vaswani bridge closure is a stark reminder of the challenges urban centres face in balancing infrastructure upgrades with the need for seamless traffic flow. As Pune’s authorities work on fine-tuning their approach, the priority remains to mitigate inconvenience for daily commuters and ensure public safety during the construction phase. This incident also calls attention to the broader issue of urban planning and the need for robust contingency plans when major infrastructure projects necessitate significant changes to regular traffic patterns. Stakeholders will be closely watching the traffic police’s next steps, hoping for swift and effective solutions to restore normalcy on Pune’s roads