Residents Express Concern Over Growing Traffic Issues in Wakad and Hinjewadi

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Residents of Wakad and Hinjewadi areas in Pune are becoming increasingly worried as traffic congestion continues to escalate, leading to slow-moving traffic and various difficulties for commuters.

Ankit Shukla, a resident of Hinjawadi, shared his concerns about the mounting traffic situation. He explained, “I have to commute from Hinjewadi to Magarpatta for work. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, it would take me a maximum of one hour to reach the office and the same duration for the return journey. However, now it takes me around one and a half hours, sometimes even more. I request the authorities to enforce stricter traffic rules and ensure their strict implementation of it.”

Dattatray Deshmukh, Chairman of the Pimpri Chinchwad Housing Society Federation, identified several reasons contributing to the traffic congestion in Wakad and Hinjewadi areas. He cited the lack of traffic control, absence of traffic police for monitoring, inadequate study of vehicle registration numbers, road narrowing, insufficient parking zones, and the absence of designated hawker zones. Deshmukh also noted the absence of proper diversions for commuters on roads currently under construction, such as Datta Mandir road.

Highlighting the measures taken by the traffic department to mitigate congestion on the Wakad-Hinjewadi route, Sunil Pinjan, Senior Inspector of the Traffic Division in Wakad, mentioned the implementation of a one-way system from Bhumkar Chowk to Hinjewadi IT Park. Additionally, smart signals have been installed at Vinode Vasti to facilitate smoother traffic movement.

Another resident from Hinjawadi’s Joyville society, Vilas Nagare informed that there is frequent traffic congestion at Hinjawadi Phase 1 and 2. The traffic department and governing agencies must look into strengthening the infrastructure to curb congestions. 

Amey Ghatphane, a resident of Wakad said, “There is no limit to high rise building approvals. Situation will never improve in Wakad and as we have brought flats we are already prisoned. Phoenix mall will be another disaster in the area.
With local people blocking connecting roads, we see no hope for better road conditions. Moreover the roads should be No Parking as Wakad is newly planned. Many areas in Navi Mumbai are no parking and no hawkers zones, it should have been like that in our area too.”

Nikhil Kumar, a Resident of Megapolis Hinjawadi Phase 3, expressed his grievance, saying “Daily, I commute from Megapolis Hinjewadi Phase 3 to Global High Street Mall which is around 5 km distance. Earlier, it used to take me hardly 15 to 30 minutes to reach. But, since 3 months, it takes me around 45 minutes & sometimes it exceeds even for an hour to travel for just 5 kms. There is a growing issue of wrong side driving, violation of traffic rules & absence of diversions when road construction work goes on. Hence, I request the authorities to, if not anything else, at least make the traffic rules stringent for a smooth traffic movement.”

Pinjan further informed that a proposal has been submitted to the traffic department and MIDC (Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation) for traffic management in Hinjewadi. The proposal includes road widening and the installation of smart signals, among other measures. Approval for these initiatives is expected to be granted soon.

Shreyas Vange