Pune’s BRT Disaster: Residents Demand Action Amidst Traffic Gridlock
Pune's BRT Disaster: Residents Demand Action Amidst Traffic Gridlock
As Pimpri Chinchwad continues to grow, residents hope for improvements that will make their daily lives easier and safer.
15 June 2024
By Payoshi Bisht
Residents in Pimpri Chinchwad are feeling increasingly frustrated due to traffic problems caused by poorly planned Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) routes and upcoming Metro projects. These initiatives were supposed to make commuting easier and reduce traffic, but instead, they have made things worse.
The city is now facing severe traffic jams and disagreements among residents. Many people are stuck in long lines of cars, waiting for hours to get to their destinations. The resulting traffic snarls not only cause delays and financial losses for commuters but also pose significant safety risks, especially around congested hotspots like Pimpri Chowk and Ashoka Hotel. Accidents have become alarmingly frequent, underscoring the urgent need for corrective measures.
Amidst rising pollution levels linked to increased vehicular emissions and construction activities associated with ongoing infrastructure projects, environmental concerns loom large.
Prashant Raul, a Pune based environment activist expressed his views about the traffic issues and stated, “The implementation of the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system in Pune has been a complete waste. Despite reserving three lanes for BRT, people have not been able to use it effectively. The BRT schedule does not align with bus timings, and crucial routes like Bhosari to Nashik Phata are completely ignored by the BRT routes. The design of the BRT routes is flawed with numerous cuts, illogical bus stops and haphazard routes that are time-consuming and inefficient. It’s frustrating to see nearly 50 percent of the road space reserved for buses, yet it remains largely unused due to poor planning and execution. Traffic police stationed at the end of BRT lanes sometimes extort money randomly, adding to the chaos and frustration of commuters.
He added, “I have personally taken the initiative to bring these issues to the attention of higher authorities, submitting letters and evidence, but unfortunately, no action has been taken to address our concerns. In a recent survey conducted by our community, about 80 percent of respondents expressed dissatisfaction with the BRT system. It seems that only builders have profited from this scheme, while ordinary citizens bear the brunt of its failures. It is high time that authorities listen to the voice of the people and rectify the shortcomings of the BRT system.”
