Pune: A significant traffic jam occurred on Nagar Road on Friday (October 18) evening due to the presence of heavy vehicles, despite a ban in place.
The situation worsened as traffic signals at several major intersections were non-functional, and there were no traffic police present to manage the chaos. Drivers faced an excruciating two-hour delay to cover just three kilometers.
Reports indicate that trucks, tankers, cranes, cement mixers, and dumpers were seen on the roads, defying the existing ban. Several private travel buses became stranded at the Jakaat Naka intersection, while drivers of dumpers and mixers were reported to have been intimidating other motorists to clear their way.
The road from Kharadi to Nagar Road near the Sakhare Mala was blocked, preventing vehicles on Nagar Road from accessing the route leading to the Sakhare Mala.
This blockage not only exacerbated congestion on Nagar Road but also led to traffic buildup on internal roads. The evening traffic on Nagar Road is typically heavy, with vehicles from Sanaswadi and Ranjangaon MIDC contributing to the congestion.
Despite the known traffic conditions, police personnel responsible for managing the flow were notably absent. Consequently, traffic was severely congested from Viman Nagar Chowk to Khandave Nagar on both sides.
The BRT route between Tata Garden and Khadki bypass also experienced significant congestion due to the intrusion of private vehicles, leading to several buses getting trapped.
Traffic police later stated that they had shut down the signals due to the increased number of vehicles. Dhananjay Pingle, a traffic police inspector, mentioned that they would investigate how heavy vehicles managed to enter the restricted area.
However, the police have yet to provide satisfactory answers regarding the presence of these vehicles in the evening despite the ban.
