Commuters Fume As Travel Time Doubles on Shimla Office Chowk-Pune Railway Station Stretch
Commuters Fume As Travel Time Doubles on Shimla Office Chowk-Pune Railway Station Stretch
The 2.5km stretch between Shimla Office Chowk and Pune railway station has become a commuter’s nightmare, with travel time increasing by at least 20-25 minutes due to traffic diversions, poor road conditions, and traffic rule violations.
Regular commuters like Prasad Joshi and Prachi Kendrekar blame the Metro works, potholes, and lack of traffic discipline for the chaos. “Vehicles move at a snail’s pace, and junctions near Shimla Office, Sancheti Hospital, and RTO are facing traffic snarls,” Joshi said.
Despite the deployment of traffic wardens, commuters say the situation remains grim. Sejal Shah, who recently traveled on the stretch, said, “The entire stretch was jam-packed, and vehicles were moving at a snail’s pace.”
Swapnil Kurale, a regular traveler on the Shivajinagar-Pune station stretch, urged authorities to stick to project deadlines and consider citizens’ requirements while planning traffic diversions.
An IT professional Vincent Pillay highlighted the plight of pedestrians, saying, “Walkers are completely ignored while planning projects, and bus stops have been shifted, causing problems for travelers.”
Local MLA Siddharth Shirole assured that he was reviewing the Metro work and traffic situation regularly. “Instructions are issued to finish the works at all crucial spots, including the flyover work at University Chowk,” Shirole said.
The authorities aim to complete the Metro work by November 2025 and plan to open stretches in phases. Recently, two-way traffic was resumed on University Road, promising some relief to commuters.
However, for now, commuters continue to face the brunt of the traffic chaos, and it remains to be seen how soon the situation will improve.
