Manchar: The six-km stretch from Bhorwadi-Avsari-Peth Ghat (Taluka Ambegaon) to Khed Ghat (Khed) near Manchar started at 4 pm on Saturday (9th).
The congestion on the Pune-Nashik national highway continued till 3 am on Sunday. Motorists and commuters were also inconvenienced as the congestion added to the evening.
The peth villagers, who are suffering from traffic congestion problems, have written a letter to the sarpanch Sanjay Pawale warning them to "stop the road work till the elections are held or else we will launch an agitation".
Due to the closure of the east side lanes, vehicles pass through the two lanes of the west side towards Nashik and Pune. With the diwali holiday coming to an end, there has been a three-fold increase in vehicles on the road.
The drivers also used the old road passing through Peth village as the road was inadequate. But there was also a dilemma. Sarpanch Sanjay Pawale, former sarpanch Ram Todkar, Santosh Dhumal, teacher Sachin Todkar and other villagers tried to clear the deadlock.
Commuters angry over month-long congestion
Both lanes on the east side are closed as cement concretisation work of the road continues. Commuters and citizens have been suffering for over a month due to the problem of congestion. It takes three to three-and-a-half hours to cover a distance of six kilometers. Passengers have expressed anger.
Sampathrao Kaygude, assistant constable of the traffic department of Manchar police station, and other policemen were standing on the road. But the drivers were in no mood to listen. The police also had to face the wrath of the driver.
Meanwhile, commuters said that no one was asking the contractor concerned about the traffic congestion as the government machinery was involved in the election process.
He came to Khed Ghat at 9 pm after shopping for the wedding. The train was halted at the spot for an hour and a half due to traffic snarls. Reached Manchar at 12.30 pm. Four people, including me, were in the car. I was upset that I ran out of drinking water. It was dark everywhere outside. After requesting the driver next door, he gave some water, said Gargi Kale Patil.
The traffic jam has affected the residents of peth area as much as the commuters. Children and senior citizens had to stay up all night as the sound of vehicles was heard throughout the night. Life has been disrupted, said Ram Todkar, former Sarpanch, Peth.
More than 10,000 voters from Ambegaon and Junnar talukas live in Pimpri-Chinchwad, Bhosari and Pune. If the traffic jam continues, the assembly elections scheduled for Wednesday will be affected. The road work should be stopped till the vote is held. All four lanes should be opened. Otherwise, the people of Satgaon Plateau area will have to protest, said Sanjay Pawale, Sarpanch, Peth.
A memorandum on traffic congestion has been received from the peth villagers. Action will be taken to solve the problem of traffic congestion after holding discussions with the officials of Pune-Nashik National Highway and the contractor concerned on Monday (March 11), said Govind Shinde, Returning Officer and State Officer Manchar.