Commuters in Pune are grappling with significant traffic disruptions on Mangaldas Road and around Wadia College due to ongoing diversions related to the Sadhu Vaswani rail overbridge and Koregaon Park. Regular travelers are reporting longer commute times as the traffic snarls continue to pose challenges.
The heavy traffic in the area, particularly on Bund Garden Road and Mangaldas Road, has led to delays for daily commuters. The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and traffic police initiated the traffic diversions last week to facilitate the forthcoming bridge work. The PMC’s plan involves constructing a new bridge and demolishing the existing one, leading to the implementation of trial diversions in the area.
As of now, the Sadhu Vaswani bridge is open only for vehicles traveling from Circuit House Chowk to Blue Diamond Chowk in a single direction. To navigate from Blue Diamond Chowk to Circuit House Chowk, vehicles are required to take a detour via Mangaldas Road and Wadia College Chowk.
Concerns have been raised by frequent travelers, emphasizing the need to keep traffic on Mangaldas Road moving efficiently. With the impending complete closure of the bridge, there are apprehensions about further slowdowns in traffic. Calls for authorities to proactively inform commuters about alternate routes to decentralize traffic movement have been made.
Traffic police officials assure the public that measures are underway to mitigate the impact of diversions and maintain a smoother flow of traffic. Additional personnel have been deployed strategically, and adjustments to traffic signal timings are in the pipeline. Authorities are closely monitoring the effects of the diversions and remain in the initial stages of their diversion plan.
The PMC indicates that the actual demolition of the bridge will commence once the local traffic movement plan is finalized, providing a glimpse of relief for commuters dealing with the current inconveniences.
