Pune: Daily Gridlock at Punawale Underpass Sparks Public Outcry, Residents Urge Authorities to Act Swiftly
Punawale, Pimpri-Chinchwad – May 30, 2025:
The Punawale underpass has become a daily nightmare for thousands of commuters, with traffic snarls causing delays of up to two hours during peak hours. What was once a routine commute has now turned into a frustrating ordeal, prompting residents to demand urgent intervention from civic authorities.
Social media has become a platform for mounting frustration, with citizens tagging key officials including @CP_PCCity, @PCMCSarathi, @pcmccomm, and @CMOMaharashtra. “We are suffering a lot, wasting 2+ hours every day just to cross the underpass,” one post read, reflecting the sentiment of many who depend on this route for work, school, and daily errands.
The area, which has seen rapid urban development in recent years, now finds its infrastructure buckling under the weight of increased traffic volumes. The narrow underpass, lack of traffic regulation, encroachments, and poor road planning have all contributed to the congestion crisis.
Commuters say there is no alternative route, leaving them stranded in bumper-to-bumper traffic every morning and evening. Many have reported missing work commitments, school drop-offs, and even medical appointments due to the delay.
Residents are calling on the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) and traffic department to step in with immediate measures such as:
- Deployment of traffic personnel during peak hours
- Installation of signal systems and CCTV monitoring
- Widening and restructuring of the underpass approach roads
- Exploring alternate routes to ease congestion
The hashtags PunawaleTrafficJam and PunawaleInfraDevelopment have started trending locally, with citizens urging elected representatives to visit the site and witness the daily struggle firsthand.
If left unresolved, residents fear the worsening traffic situation could affect not just their quality of life but also the safety of school-going children, emergency service vehicles, and the elderly.
The ball is now in the authorities’ court to address this growing urban crisis before it spirals further out of control.
