Baner residents troubled by chronic traffic problems

By: Pune Pulse

October 4, 2023

Pune: Baner residents are in distress due to an increase in traffic congestion, bottlenecks etc. at various places like Radha Chowk, Saykar Chowk and more.

Speaking to Pune Pulse, Anil Gokarn, a Baner resident said, “This has become a regular traffic jam area, especially during the evening. You have to wait for 15 to 20 minutes for the traffic to ease and for you to go from there. People come from all directions. When you travel towards the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, the situation gets worse. Long-term solutions are not being implemented. At Dange Chowk, a divider has been put which is helping a lot. However, nothing is implemented here. If you are going towards Saykar Chowk, High Street etc, still you will face traffic problems as the jam extends till there. I live near Saykar Chowk. Hence, if I am crossing the signal and going right up to the divider to take a U-turn & if traffic gets jammed there, I get stuck for a long time just to take a U-turn.”

Sameer Laghate, another resident of Baner Hill Road said, “At the Bitwise underpass, due to vehicles speeding from both sides of the service road, it has become an accident spot for 2-wheeler vehicles. On the opposite side, there is a water connection where people simply come and park their vehicles carelessly. Hence, that area gets choked completely because of traffic. From the Mercedes underpass to Radha Chowk, the entire traffic gets choked up, especially if it rains. For 30 minutes, 45 minutes etc. vehicles get interlocked for which a volunteer comes and clears the vehicles. There are no signals at Radha Chowk. The traffic police manually handle the traffic. The traffic becomes problematic as several vehicles ply from one side of the road at the same time, making it difficult for vehicles of any other side to commute.”

Dhiraj Nambiar, a resident of Baner said, “There is a traffic problem at Radha Chowk. Apart from that, there are a lot of issues at other points too like the bridge opposite to Skoda showroom, Maruti Chowk etc. I have been living here for 13-odd years. Hence, I have seen how this area has been developed. Planning is not proper here. I live on the other side of the Mumbai-Satara Highway. Even to go to the other side of the highway, which is hardly a 200 to 300 m distance, it takes me around 30 minutes sometimes.”

An X user has tweeted “Radha Chowk is not a ‘chowk’ anymore. Since the service roads along the highway are two-way along with Baner Road,12 lanes meet there. No haphazard solution will work.”

Another X user has tweeted “Horrible traffic jam at Radha Chowk near Darshan restaurant for 30 mins now. Everyday scene for school.”

Another X user tweets “Stuck at Radha Chowk traffic jam for the last half hour. Barely moving. Pune traffic police, please find a permanent solution.”

Babasaheb Koli, Traffic Police Inspector, Chatushrungi Traffic Police said, “The traffic police has appointed 4 wardens & 2 officers for traffic management who are present from 8 am to 11 pm monitoring the traffic.”

Shreyas Vange