In the bustling city of Ambegaon Budruk, a seemingly innocuous bypass near the DMart Mall has turned into a daily hazard for hundreds of road users. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is in the process of constructing an underpass in front of the Ambegaon DMart Mall, causing a closure of the route from Katraj Chowk to Navale Bridge Chowk. This has led to traffic diversions and a perilous situation for commuters who are forced to navigate a damaged and dusty highway stretch.
The bad patch of road on Katraj-Dehu Road Bypass, particularly at the diversion before Navale Bridge, has become a point of concern for daily commuters. This neglected portion of the highway has gone unrepaired for several months, subjecting road users to inconvenience and potential risks. Two-wheelers, in particular, face heightened dangers as they navigate the narrow and damaged route on a regular basis.
Kushal Das, a regular commuter, expressed his concerns, stating, “Taking the bad road patch in front of DMart is dangerous, especially for two-wheelers. We have to daily pass through the narrow route as an underpass road work is going on at the stretch near the mall, and the damaged highway is on the farther side.”
Another resident, Raja Sonawane, shared a harrowing experience, saying, “Last week, I narrowly escaped an accident after I slipped and fell from my two-wheeler, and a truck following me applied brakes.”
The NHAI, responsible for the underpass construction, has acknowledged the issues and plans to address them. An onsite executive engineer, speaking on condition of anonymity, stated, “After completing one side of the underpass tunnel road within one month, we will begin digging up the opposite side of the bypass highway and carry out highway repairs also.”
Despite the assurance from NHAI, the current state of the bypass highway is causing disruptions and dangers for commuters. Ramesh Jambhale, a traffic assistant police inspector posted at Katraj Chowk, highlighted the existing problems, saying, “Some patches of the bypass highway from Katraj Chowk to Navale Bridge Chowk are damaged, including the one-kilometer stretch in front of DMart. During peak hours, long queues are observed from Navale Bridge side towards Katraj Chowk because of the bad patch on the bypass highway.”
Atul Namekar, secretary of the Sinhagad Road-Warje Residents’ Organisation, echoed the sentiments of the daily commuters, emphasizing, “It is a daily struggle for commuters. The NHAI should carry out road repairs on priority.”
Representative Image Used.
