Pune: Despite 33 Bridges, Pimpri-Chinchwad Struggles With Persistent Traffic Congestion
Pune: Despite 33 Bridges, Pimpri-Chinchwad Struggles With Persistent Traffic Congestion
Pimpri-Chinchwad: Despite the presence of over 33 bridges, flyovers, underpasses, and grade separators, traffic congestion continues to plague Pimpri-Chinchwad. The increasing number of vehicles has rendered these expansive roads and structures inadequate to handle the daily commute.
Spread across 181 square kilometers, the city has a robust network of bridges over rivers such as Pavana, Mula, and Indrayani, as well as flyovers over railway tracks and major junctions. Key flyovers like the two-tiered JRD Tata Flyover at Nashik Phata, the Bhakti-Shakti Flyover in Nigdi, and others at Bhosari, Chinchwadgaon, and Dange Chowk initially helped streamline traffic. However, the growing population and vehicle count have exceeded the capacity of these structures, leading to frequent bottlenecks.
The Regional Transport Office (RTO) data reveals that as of 2023-24, there are over 1.81 lakh vehicles registered in the city, with two-wheelers accounting for the majority at 1.08 lakh. The city also boasts 1,300 kilometers of main and internal roads, which include asphalt and concrete stretches. However, congestion at traffic signals, especially during the monsoon, worsens the situation.
Citizens should reduce private vehicle usage and instead opt for public transportation systems like PMPML buses, metro, and local trains, or bicycles, to alleviate congestion and curb pollution. There is need for stricter enforcement against illegal parking and lane violations by traffic police.
While new bridges like the Military Dairy Farm Bridge in Pimpri and others at Chinchwadgaon and Baner-Pimple Nilakh are under construction, addressing undisciplined traffic behavior and encouraging public transport remains crucial to resolving the city’s traffic woes.
