Pune: From 6pm to 9pm, no heavy vehicles at Chandni Chowk

PUNE: The Pimpri Chinchwad traffic branch has decided to experiment with a 6pm-9pm ban on the movement of heavy vehicles through Chandni Chowk from Thursday as part of an effort to ease out peak-time congestion on the Katraj-Dehu Road bypass.
The officials plan to hold up heavy vehicles coming from Dehu Road, Bhugaon/Paud village and Bavdhan/Pashan at certain pre-designated spots for the three hours, before letting them continue with their movement.

Pimpri Chinchwad assistant commissioner of police (traffic) Satish Mane told TOI, "The three-hour evening ban is primarily for the heavy vehicles headed for Pune and Satara. We will allow the heavy vehicles coming from Katraj side towards Mumbai, provided the Pune traffic police allow them to travel."
Senior inspector (traffic) Deepak Salunke told TOI, "For heavy vehicles coming from Mumbai to Pune, Satara and beyond, we plan to hold them for the three hours somewhere near Kiwale. We have written letters to transport associations in Mumbai, Pune and elsewhere, informing them about the 6pm-9pm ban on the heavy vehicles at Chandni Chowk from Thursday. Besides, we have informed the Highway Safety Patrol about the change."
Pune DCP (traffic) Rahul Shrirame told TOI, "We will soon discuss the issue with the district collector. As far as the stretch from the new Katraj tunnel to Chandni Chowk, which is under our jurisdiction is concerned, there is little scope for parking of heavy vehicles, unlike the stretch under the Pimpri Chinchwad traffic jurisdiction."
He said, "We will also discuss with the Pune rural police about the possibility of creating a parking space at Khed Shivapur and its surrounding areas before we take a call on halting the heavy vehicles coming from the Katraj side."
Chandni Chowk is a vital junction for vehicles entering and exiting the city and links the bypass, which is a part of the Mumbai-Bengaluru National Highway. It is used not only by the highway vehicles, but also by working professionals and employees going to the Hinjewadi and Maan IT park, Pirangut MIDC and several business establishments along the bypass. Residents from the vast residential sprawl on either side of the bypass also use the highway.
The bypass stretch between Punavale and Chandni Chowk falls under the Pimpri Chinchwad traffic branch jurisdiction. This is also the stretch where new flyover construction work at Chandni Chowk and the Sus Khind and road development are going on at full scale. Chandni Chowk has been witnessing heavy traffic congestion due to an ever-increasing load of vehicles and the ongoing works.
Last week, CM Eknath Shinde's convoy was stuck in the Chandni Chowk traffic snarl, which prompted him to take a spot review and issue a slew of instructions to the civic, traffic and highways authorities. Mane said, "The experiment would help in resolving the congestion to some extent. The absence of heavy vehicles will ensure faster movement of other vehicles."
(With inputs from Gitesh Shelke)